A New Beginning: A Different Ending to A Memory of Light and the WoT
by Shylah Sedai
Summary: I appreciate constructive criticism only. While I appreciate any ideas, I will not change the stories due to the rants and demands from readers. AMoL spoilers, obviously. If you've enjoyed this, please pass it along to others!
1. Chapter 1: A Proposal

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**A special thanks to kitkitmaria for agreeing to be my Beta Reader. You found so much that I missed! I appreciate your skills!**  
_

Chapter One:A Proposal

Fortuona Athaem Kore Paendrag stood looking out the window, of the Tarasin palace, watching the practice down below, while absently rubbing her swollen stomach. She enjoyed watching Knotai go through practice drills with the Deathwatch Guards. It was so soothing to watch him go through the drills, watching the sweat cling to his shirt, during the practice runs. He was rather handsome, even missing one eye. He had been far too pretty before, but now with the scars he had earned, and the missing eye, he was just perfect. He never ceased to amaze those around him; his style, his grace, the way he battled. His leadership and battle style had been instrumental in the Last Battle. She would never admit it to anyone, but she needed him. The time was near, to reclaim Seanchan, to take back the Crystal Throne, and Knotai would be the one that brought that about. Her Doomseer had seen the omens, and she knew. If she was to regain the Crystal Throne, she would only do it with the help of her husband. It was so nice that he had finally started growing into his position, as Prince of the Ravens. Her people, especially the Deathwatch Guards, had taken to him immediately, and would follow his order without question. That was going to be important in the next few months.

"Pardon, your Excellency, but the Amyrlin has agreed to meet you via gateway, as you requested." Selucia said, looking behind Fortuona, relaying the message that the servant had brought.

"_Excellent"_she thought to herself, and turned to Selucia wiggling her fingers. As she turned, the baby started kicking, almost doubling her over. Being in the ending stages of her pregnancy made things awkward for her, especially since she was so petite. She knew that it was only a matter of days until she would deliver the heir to her throne. Her midwife had warned her that the pregnancy might be more difficult, as she was so small, but Darbinda had seen that the babe would be born healthy and strong. She trusted her Doomseer more than some old foolish midwife.

An arm was suddenly around her waist, helping her to upright herself, before she could harm herself, or worse the babe. As foolish as she felt, for almost falling on her face, she was grateful that Selucia never left her side.

_"Excellent, we'll open a gateway in the throne room. We need her to feel awed and want to give their cooperation." _Fortuona said through the finger wiggles.

Selucia raised an eyebrow at the command, but said nothing, and immediately issued the command to prepare the throne room. Selucia knew what needed to be done, and would see that her Deathwatch Guards were there, as well as all of the pairs of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. She was no fool; she would not leave herself unprotected.

"Ask Knotai to join us, Selucia. Ask, don't order. You know how it puts his back up." She said, in a low enough voice so that the servants could not hear, as she carefully turned back to look down at the practice yard below. The baby kicked again, but this time not so hard.

Yes, soon it would be time to give birth; not only to the heir of the Crystal Throne, but to give birth to a new era in Seanchan history. Today would see it start.

* * *

As Fortuona walked into the throne room, flanked by two pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ and the Deathwatch guards, she felt a sense of awe. The windows, in the throne room, faced her personal gardens. The land had changed so much in the past nine months, since the Last Battle. Rand al'Thor had indeed put the Dark One back in his prison, sealing it away for all time, and the land sung his praises ever since. The trees bloomed, giving forth their fruits, the grass grew green, and flowers that hadn't bloomed in years, were showcasing their petals. But all those things weren't why she was in awe. Her garden had been _sung_ to by the Dragon Reborn himself. The peach blossoms were finally turned into peaches, and insects buzzed nearby collecting the pollen. It was the trees that stood, tall and proud, that was the real life of the garden, and was the most impressive part of it. She still remembered the shock and horror as she watched a shielded Dragon begin to make the dead things grow. It was remarkable.

She made her way to her throne; her retinue of attendants picking her up and seating her, so that the satin wouldn't be mussed and arranging the train to cover the steps down from the throne. Waving a hand, Selucia ordered two _Sul'dam_ and two _damane_ to stand beside her, making sure that one of the _damane_ was the one that had claimed to be the Amyrlin seat. Suffa was her name. She no longer wept at every moment; Fortuona had taken over her training herself, ever since the remarkable talent for gateways she had displayed. She was very good at showing the other _damane_ how to make gateways, and had a knack for many other weaves. Her hard eyes looked lovingly at Fortuona, and she afforded herself the luxury of patting Suffa's head. She had turned out to be a very good _damane_, and had the talent for foretelling as well. Yes, a remarkable _damane_. If only she had more like her, but that was not what this meeting was about. She was in need of these Aes Sedai.

Waving her hand again she let Sulucia know that it was time to begin, and had Melitene have Suffa open a gateway, which opened to the Hall of the Tower and army of channelers on the other side. At the head of the group sat an older woman, with golden ornaments in her hair. Her demeanor spoke of hundreds of years of experience, but her face told Fortuona nothing about her age. A seven striped stole lay across her shoulders, and she sat on a seat painted with the Flame of Tar Valon. . She recognized Nynaeve at her right, from a previous meeting, and the Queen of Andor and Cairhien, Elayne Trakand. She was no longer pregnant, as she had been the last time Fortuona had seen her, but that was the only change. There were no fewer than fifty other Aes Sedai standing on the Amyrlin's right hand side. On her left stood Logain Ablar along with twenty other _Asha'man_. Light, over seventy _marath'damane_, just sitting there waiting to be collared! But, no, this was not the purpose of this meeting. She had asked them for this meeting, agreeing to a weave placed over the gateway that would prevent any weaves coming from her side into the gateway. She wasn't sure how that was possible; it seemed the _marath'damane_ had many tricks up their sleeves.

At the side, she heard a _damane_ gasp in surprise. Without turning, she knew that it must have been Suffa. She had wanted this _damane_ to be present during the talks, as she was hoping that her presence would help influence the Amyrlin to help Fortuona.

"Thank you for agreeing to this meeting." Selucia Voiced, for Fortuona. It would not do to be rude, or to put this woman's back up. To the side, she saw Knotai walk up. Good, he had changed into proper clothing, befitting his station. He really did look majestic in his black and dark green robes.

"Nynaeve, Elayne, Logain! Light, it's good to see you!" Knotai said, a huge smile breaking across his face. In the following months, he hadn't had much time to see his old friends. His smile betrayed how much he had missed them. If only she had her Doomseer with her, to tell her the omens that she saw, this would go so much easier. But, Darbinda had asked for a holiday, to visit a cousin of sorts, for a few days. Odd fellow he was, with his dark hair and the odd shaped mark in his eye. She would have to ask Darbinda about it when she returned.

"Mat, what under the light have you gotten yourself into?" Nynaeve said, with a smile herself. "You look almost respectable in those clothes!"

"We'll talk about that later, Nynaeve." Knotai said, looking a bit sheepish, and pulling at his clothes, "You're here because the Empress, may she live forever, has need of you."

Fortuona fought a smile, as her heart soared. He was really learning and growing into a fine Prince of the Ravens.

"As you well know, according to the Dragon's Peace, we are not allowed to collar any _marath'damane_ in any of the lands that we do not control. We have complied with that request, and in exchange the Dragon agreed to allow us to keep the _damane_ that we do control, and collar any woman that crosses into our borders." Selucia started, after Fortuona wiggling her fingers at her. Light, this was going to be sticky, and might make her give up more then she wanted. Those men and women should not be allowed to roam free, but she needed them. Would allowing them to remain free be the best for the Empire?

"You've kept your part of the bargain," Cadsuane said, with a tone that implied she was lecturing a child, "but you still keep Aes Sedai collared. The fact that you have Elaida Sedai beside you is proof of that. What could you possibly want, when you refuse to free the Aes Sedai you hold captive?"

Perceptive, this Amyrlin. Not that the old Amyrlin was not perceptive, but this one didn't beat around the bush. She was still rather upset that Egwene had died before she had a chance to place the collar around her neck again. It would have been a joy to break her. She had made Fortuona look ignorant in front of the Blood. That was unforgivable.

"That was not part of the Dragon's Peace. The Dragon's Peace stated that we could keep the _damane_ that we had, but would no longer attempt to collar the Aes Sedai who remain _marath'damane_." Selucia said, knowing exactly what Fortuona wanted her to Voice.

"Then why the reason for this 'visit' if not to parade your captive Aes Sedai in front of us, to taunt us?" Nynaeve blurted out.

These _marath'damane_, no not that, these Aes Sedai were to used to just speaking up whenever they felt like it. How did they live their lives without order? It made no sense.

"The Empress, may she live forever, has need of the large gateways you can make, using a circle." Selucia voiced.

That made her stomach curdle to hear. That she would need these Aes Sedai to do something for her. But, she did need them. It would take hours to move all the soldiers, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, and the supplies through the small gateways that only one _damane_ could make, even if they had ever _damane_ making a gateway. Then, while the _damane_ waited for everyone to move, they would be unable to be used as weapon to help retake Seanchan. They needed to have the element of surprise on their side. They needed to be able to have them all move through at one time, squashing their enemies in one swoop.

It They had learned, after the Last Battle, that the _damane_ and _Sul'dam_ couldn't form a circle. Oh, they had watched, with eager eyes, as they saw the Aes Sedai link into groups of thirteen, and even add men into the circle, but they couldn't make it work. She had even asked her Suffa and Mylen how to make the circles, and they had told her how, but could not make it work. Perhaps the a'dam had something to do with it?

At the mention of the need for a circle, Cadsuane's eyebrows arched. She was surprised. Well, better to get it all out at once.

"Her Eminence knows that this was not something that was covered in the Dragon's Peace contract. And as such, the Throne is willing to make a trade of sorts, for your services." Selucia added. This was not going to be easy.

Cadsuane just looked at her, face unreadable. Behind Cadsuane, the group of women began to whisper to each other, looking alarmed. Elayne looked intrigued, and who knew what the _Asha'man_ were thinking. She tried not to look at the men. They made her skin crawl.

" We are in the process of getting ready to launch a massive assault on Seanchan, to regain the Crystal Throne. The Empire is in chaos. It is a blood bath; with people killing one another for the throne." Knotai said, stepping in before Cadsuane could get a word in.

"That sounds like quite the problem, boy, but I fail to see how it involves the White and Black Tower. Surely you have enough _damane_ to go and retake the Throne, and you know that the Tower never gets involved in disputes like this." Cadsuane said.

"And why would we help you, anyway?" Nynaeve said, adding a belated, "Your Majesty"

" I do not need you to fight with us," Fortuona replied, speaking for herself. She heard a soft gasp from the Blood, standing around the throne. It was rare for her to speak for herself, but some things had to be managed personally. It had been bad enough to watch this women and men channel, in the Last Battle, without being properly leashed. Who knows what they would do without the Dragon keeping them in check? She didn't want them anywhere near her! "We have discovered a problem; our _damane_ cannot form a circle, and thus cannot make gateways large enough for the armies and wagons to move through at the necessary speed."

"Yes, I can see how the a'dam would prohibit the women from making a circle." Elayne said, her eyes getting a far off look, as if trying to see how to fix a problem.

Fortuona had heard that this remarkable _marath'damane_ had the talent for making _angreal_ and _ter'angreal_. What she wouldn't give to have her as a _damane_!

"That's all fascinating," Nynaeve broke in, "but I fail to see how that's our problem. The Tower is not something that you can just decide you need, when it suits you, especially when you flaunt leashed Aes Sedai leashed by your side like a pet dog!"

Taking a deep breath, Fortuona bit back the words that she wanted to lash out at this insolent woman. It would do no good to lose her control here.

"We of course would not ask this favor of you, if we weren't prepared to give something large in return." Fortuona said, in a soft, even voice.

" Your Majesty, unless you are willing to let the _damane_ go, I doubt you have anything that we would want." Cadsuane said, sounding for the entire world like a mother, chastising her child.

Taking a deep breath, Fortuona continued, "I am prepared to release five _damane_, to the control of the White Tower, in exchange for the use of the gateway. You may choose any that you wish, but the _damane_ must want to go with you. You will not take any _damane_ who wish to stay with us

It was a galling idea, but Knotai had assured her that it would be the only thing that the Aes Sedai would accept. As the words left her mouth, the throne room started to buzz with whispers, and the Aes Sedai standing beside Cadsuane were no better. The murmur of voices was beginning to become loud. She had known that this proposal would cause this reaction.

"An interesting proposal." Cadsuane said, her fingers making a steeple in front of her mouth. "But, I'm afraid that this is not a decision that I can make for the White Tower, alone. The Hall will have to convene, and think over your proposal. I would ask you to submit your proposal in writing, and we will look over it and get back to you on the morrow."

How in the world did these people lead? Why would you need to have others make the decision for you, if you're going to claim to be their leader? It was always wise to ask for council, to have advice, but in the end the decision was hers. The White Tower really should be under Fortuona's rule. If those Aes Sedai were leashed properly, then they wouldn't have need of any of this foolishness.

Waving her hand at Selucia, Fortuona decided that she should not say anything else, lest it make the Aes Sedai not want to come to her aid.

"You will have the written proposal in one hour. It will be delivered, by a messenger, to Tar Valon." Selucia Voices in reply.

The gateway winked out, and the room grew quiet. She knew that she would have to explain her actions, to put her people at ease, but it was not something that she was looking forward to.

"The time has come, for us to retake the lands of our birth. Seanchan is in chaos. There must be order restored. I know that this war will see the loss of many people, but know that those who fall will not fall in vain. We will retake Seanchan, and see our Empire built even stronger. It will require sacrifices on our part, and I know that they will make us stretch ourselves to the point of breaking. I know that the declaration of releasing some _damane_ to the White Tower has you shocked, and it was not a decision that I came to lightly. Know that what I do, I do for the greater good, for the good of the Empire. I ask, that in the days ahead, that you do not waiver in your devotion to the Throne, but know that every decision is being made for your good, and to build a stronger Empire."

At the end of her words, the she saw the looks on the faces of the blood. Courage had been renewed, and resolve has been strengthened. It would be a strange way of dealing with the war, but if the Aes Sedai accepted, it would be a fast means to securing Seanchan and bringing peace.


	2. Chapter 2: The News

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you, kitkitmaria, for editing this! You're a lifesaver!**_

Chapter Two: The News

As the gateway closed, Nynaeve schooled her facial expression back to Aes Sedai serenity. The incessant chattering from the Sitters and the other sisters had grown to a full roar, and she seemed to have a harder time than most at keeping her emotions in check. From the shouts of women demanding an answer now, to Sitters demanding that they meet now, and seal the meeting to the Flame, the Hall was in a state of chaos. Light, what a mess! Her anger at Fortuona had gone and was now replaced with an overwhelming sadness that she couldn't find a reason for

"Well, this is an interesting predicament." Elayne said, walking up to Nynaeve.

As always, the Queen of Andor and Cairhien looked radiant in a dress of red and gold. Her hair was meticulously curled, and piled high on her head, showcasing a new crown that blended the Rose Crown of Andor and the Crown of Cairhien. One would never know that three months past she had given birth to two beautiful babes, a boy and a girl. They both had the sweetest red curls, and were the joy of Elayne's life. Nynaeve wondered if it helped her get over Rand's death. She certainly didn't seem like a woman in mourning.

It was a wonder that Elayne was at this meeting at all. Nynaeve knew that Cadsuane had requested her appearance, because of the thrones she held, but she had just heard that Aviendha was pregnant herself and Nynaeve knew that she would want to be with her sister. It seemed rather odd to her that Aviendha could get over Rand so fast. Not only get over him, but get herself pregnant at the same time! It didn't make sense. Maybe she had thought that it would be better to just throw herself as the nearest man, to get over the pain. She had never gotten an answer out of her, the day he had died, the day it had all changed.

"I think predicament is probably too light of a word." Nynaeve halfheartedly replied. The Sitters were getting all of the other Aes Sedai to move to the back of the room, and quite had finally started to come over the group. Nynaeve and Elayne moved back towards the doors, and stood with the waiting Aes Sedai and Asha'men. From the side, she saw Logain and Cadsuane quietly talking. Rumors had been flying about combining the Towers now, but Nynaeve couldn't see it happening.

By the time the Hall had settled, the messenger had arrived through a gateway at the North Harbor bridge. At least the Seanchan had been respectful enough have their messenger arrive outside of the city.

Without any ceremony, Cadsuane sat back down on the Amyrlin Seat, and all fell silent as the proposal was read aloud by the Keeper to all in attendance.

_" To the White Tower and the Black Tower,_

_This is a proposal to the leaders of the White and Black Tower formally requesting your help in creating a large gateway for traveling._

_We are in need of your services, as you are experienced in making circles, and can create a large gateway for our Ever Victorious Army to reach Seanchan in one step. You have been made aware that our own damane are unable to make large enough gateways, and would leave our army defenseless as they held open the many gateways open for the armies to walk through._

_In exchange for your services, the Crystal Throne has agreed to release five damane to the White Tower. This agreement is only good for any damane that wishes to be released, and you must ask the damane first if it is there will to be released. No damane that wishes to remain with her Suldam will be a candidate for release._

_We await your reply._

_Fortuona Athaem Kore Paendrag"_

As soon as the Keeper, Vasha Dosmani, was finished reading the proposal, Yukiri immediately jumped to her feet.

"I say we refuse them outright!" Yukiri shouted, being the first on her feet. "They keep Aes Sedai leashed, and are proud of it! So let them lose this war, maybe it will make it easier for the rest of us! We won't have to watch our backs everywhere we go!"

"Can we refuse them, if they are willing to let some women go? Don't we owe it to the captive sisters, those who want to be free?" Saerin said, being the next on her feet.

"It didn't look like they wanted to be free!" Rubinde piped in, "Elaida looked more like a pet dog then an Aes Sedai! You all saw the look on her face, like Fortuona was the Creator herself! Why should we help them on a vague promise that some _damane_ might want to be freed? They have them so brainwashed that none of them would want to be freed and we would end up helping them for nothing!"

"Rubinde is right," Yukiri said, "We have no way of knowing if there are any women there who wish to be freed, or if there are, that they will let those women out to tell us. How can we know? We can't go to Ebou Dar and ask as we would be risking collaring ourselves. It's too dangerous!"

"And yet," Cadsuane said, making the Hall look up in surprise, "How can we refuse? If one of you was captured wouldn't you want the hope that one day you might be freed? Fortuona is clever, I'll give her that, but as Aes Sedai we must be even cleverer. Think! How can we ensure the freedom of any woman who wants it? It's not about making a gateway, but about freeing those women!"

The Hall started arguing over tactics, over whether to believe the intent, or how to interpret it. The loud clamoring of women arguing over who was right, and what traps would be in store made Nynaeve want to throttle them all. Couldn't they just act like adults here, and come to a sensible solution?

"If I may make a suggestion?" Logain said, bringing the Hall to complete silence again. "I do believe I have an answer. You want assurances that the women who wish to be freed will be freed before you agree to make this gateway? Give a trusted messenger or a warder one of the Foxhead medallions that Her Majesty Queen Elayne made, and have them go to Ebou Dar. The person will be protected against channeling, and the collars won't work against a non-channeler. They will be able to go to where the _damane_ live, ask them personally, and compile a list. Then, you will have a list of women who wish to be freed, and can give that list to the Empress, and demand their freedom for our services."

There was wisdom in that line of thinking, Nynaeve admitted, . She didn't know much about him, but he seemed like a good leader for the men.

"Who's to say that the women won't just conveniently disappear, as soon as the Empress knows who we want?" Yukiri said.

"You don't know. That's the problem." Cadsuane said, giving Logain another appraising look. "The best we can hope for is that we get the list, present our own proposal, and demand the release of the _damane_ before we make the gateway."

The Aes Sedai resumed their discussions, each trying to figure out a different way to to make sure the women could be freed.

Light, it made Nynaeve's head hurt. She was already exhausted, having spent the entire night healing Varil Nensen of the slight touch of madness left in him from the taint. Her fellow Yellow Sisters had demanded to watch, and asked hundreds of questions about everything that she did. It was downright irritating.

The worst thing was that it took her five tries to embrace the Source. It kept slipping away from her, and she couldn't figure out why. She hadn't been tired before she sat down to heal Varil, so why had it been so hard to embrace the source? Maybe she just had too much on her mind.

"Then we are all agreed?" Cadsuane asked. "We will send five warders to Ebou Dar, with orders to gather a list of the women who wish to be freed. I will need a list of volunteers. If there are any warders that you feel would be a good candidate, the let the Hall know, and we will consider them. In the meantime, we will send a reply to the Empress, letting her know of the men coming, and what she can expect. We will need to meet later to draft our own counter proposal."

She had missed the entire argument! Light, what was wrong with her?! Her mind was so slippery, jumping from one idea to the next, one thought pattern to another. She could barely focus, and felt weepy all the time! It didn't help that Lan wasn't there. She could feel his joy, his determination, at rebuilding the Seven Towers. Every Malkieri, who had survived the Last Battle, had joined Lan in the rebuilding effort. She felt his pride, and felt tears sting her eyes. Light! What was wrong with her?

"Are you well?" Elayne asked, looking away from the meeting and turning her attention to Nynaeve.

"I'm fine, just a little tired is all." Nynaeve said, trying to dismiss Elayne's concerns.

But she really didn't feel fine - something felt off. Maybe she should have Magla delve her. Perhaps the past nine months had taken their toll on her. Light knew she needed to be at her best if she was going to continue healing those poor men of their madness.

The Hall was dismissing, and Nynaeve was brushed aside by Aes Sedai trying to leave. She hadn't heard much of what had been decided, and she didn't much care. She should try to get some sleep before taking on the next round of healing Asha'men later. She would need whatever rest she could get, especially if Zenare Ghodar was going to be there. She always demanded to be shown every step, have everything explained at least five times. It was exhausting.

"I have a previous engagement tonight, but tomorrow I'm free. I would like to have some time to talk with you, before you go back to Andor. I want to hear how Egwena and Gawyn are doing." A smile broke out on Nynaeve's lips when she talked about Elayne's babes. They were such beautiful babies; Gawyn especially looked like Rand did when he was a babe. It made her heart ache, thinking of Rand.

_"May the Creator shelter you, Rand al'Thor, and thank you for your sacrifice." _Nynaeve thought. It was a thought that came to her mind at least once a day.

"We'll meet in the morning, for breakfast. I need to be back as soon as possible. We in the middle of a massive rebuilding effort in Caemlyn, and I need to make sure that the Ogier are staying on track" Elayne said, but by her expression she couldn't wait to tell Nynaeve about the latest developments of the twins.

* * *

A nap did no good to sooth Nynaeve's mood, nor eating a quick bite to eat, and being hounded by Zenare Sedai as soon as she left her quarters In the Tower did not help.

"Are you ready, Nynaeve Sedai?" Zenare asked, with just a hint of impatience. If it had been up to Zenare, Nynaeve wouldn't have taken the nap, and would have started right away. She was so eager to learn the new way of healing, to see what Nynaeve could do, and try to do it herself. Nynaeve couldn't fault her, but couldn't she give her a moment to herself?

Fighting a yawn with one hand, Nynaeve could only manage to nod her head, and walked with Zenare to the area they had set aside as a healer's center.

The area had been put in place after the Last Battle when so many people were coming for healing, and thenneeded a place to rest after the rigors of their healing. They needed beds, a place to wash and eat. A wing of the Tower that faced the gardens had been remodeled into a healing wing. There were over a hundred beds, with easy access to clean water and a small kitchen that had its own cook to prepare bland but nutritious meals for those who had just been healed. It seemedthat this wing was always busy. Now that people knew that they were going to live, they sought out more healing for painful illnesses that they had for months. There was now a rotation of Yellow sisters bringing Healing at all times of day.

Nynaeve walked in and saw her patient sitting with a group of thirteen Aes Sedai shielding him. Evin Vinchova had been forced to the shadow, against his will, and had been spending the past nine months in a Stedding under a constant guard of Ogier. The poor boy looked terrified, yet there was darkness to his eyes. Something evil was there, lurking in the shadows of his mind. He couldn't be blamed for what had happened to him.

It had been requested, by Logain, the new M'Hael, that the Aes Sedai try and see if there was anything they could do for these men. From what Logain had told them, it was thirteen Aes Sedai and thirteen Myrddraal imposing their will on you, forcing you to the Shadow, and it sounded an awful like Compulsion. She had practice removing Compulsion, and had been asked to attempt this.

It took 6 tries this time to embrace _Saidar_, and it was only after she had gotten angry that she finally held the Source. She hadn't had to become angry to embrace the Source since she had broken through her block. What was wrong with her?

Weaving spirit, Nynaeve delved Evin, and nearly lost the food she had so recently eaten. Laying on his mind was a darkness, so thick that it felt like sludge. Whatever had been done to him, it was so terrible that she didn't even know if she would be able to get it all out.

Weaving all five of the powers while fighting nausea, she tried to find a point where the darkness could be pried up. Roaming through this sludge made her feel dirty, as if she had been rolling around in a pit of manure, It made her want to vomit, and it took every ounce of will she possessed to not sick up. Poor Evin.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she continued to look for a point, somewhere that she could try and pry up, but it was so smooth! The darkness was completely surrounding his mind, leaving no room for Evin to try and get through.

Just as she was going to give up, she saw it. A small hairline crack in the darkness. It was so small that it was no wonder that she had missed it before. Pushing the Power, she used the weave to try and pry up a bit of the darkness, just as she had when Healing the madness and the burrs that were in the mind. At least she hoped that it worked that way.

She had explained to Logain that it might not work, that Evin's mind might be so damaged that he would die in the process, just as Kerb had died after her first attempt at removing compulsion. Who knew the damage that was done when thirteen channelers did this?

She continued to try and push the weave into the crack and felt it give way slightly, but at this point she was exhausted. The darkness was so thick that there was no way she could weave a strong enough weave to break through that on her own.

With a sigh, Nynaeve released the weave and would have collapsed if Zenare hadn't been sitting right beside her.

"I can't do it on my own. There's a small crack in the darkness on his mind, but it's so thick that I don't know if I can do it" Nynaeve said. Taking a deep breath, she watched Zenare try delving him and hiss in surprise.

"It would make sense, since it took thirteen sisters to Turn him, that maybe it will take thirteen sisters to Heal him." Zenare said with a disgusted sound, studying Evin. "I want to hear everything you did, in detail. I could see some of the weaves, but they were so complex I couldn't follow them. I delved him just now, and can't see any crack like the one you mentioned, only this thick darkness that made me feel dirty."

"I first…" Nynaeve got out, and then passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

The bright sunlight woke Nynaeve with a start. What time was it? Rubbing her eyes, she got another shock, to find herself in bed and Elayne standing looking out the window. How had she gotten to bed?

"Elayne? How… when… what happened?" she finally spit out. Her mind felt like it was swimming in a cloudy pool. She was so tired!

At Nynaeve's first word, Elayne came walking over, relief painted over her face.

"I'm so glad you're awake! I was afraid you would sleep all day, and I would have to leave without talking to you!" Elayne said, as she sat herself on the side of Nynaeve's bed.

"What happened?" Nynaeve asked again, propping herself up into a sitting position.

"Well, you tried to heal Evin, and you passed out from exhaustion after the effort. It was really remarkable that you found a crack in the darkness, Nynaeve. There were sisters that delved him, after you passed out, and they couldn't see anything! Anyway, I have some news that might shock you. Zenare delved you, to make sure you were alright, and she discovered that you're with child! After that, it took a whole circle of thirteen trying to see if they can see what you saw. I think they will drive themselves crazy trying, as they have no idea what you saw or where you saw it…"

_"Why was she just chattering on like that?"_ Nynaeve wondered. She had always been one that liked to talk.

"What did you just say?" Nynaeve asked, attempting to hold down her panic.

"I said that the Sisters were going to drive themselves crazy, trying to figure out how you found a crack in the darkness. They can't see anything, but then again, they are fishing blindfolded. They have no idea what they are looking for."

"Not that!" Nynaeve said, rather impatiently, "I'm pregnant?!" the last word almost came out as a screech.

"That's what Zenare says. She said she delved you, and found two heart beats; yours and the babe's."

She was pregnant? Quickly counting in her head, she counted back to when she and Lan had last been together. It had been two months, so she was about sixty days along if the timing was right. It was hard to remember the exact day, but she was almost sure when it was. Light, she was pregnant, with Lan's baby!

The vision from her testing for Accepted came back into her mind. She had a hard time remembering the names of those babies, but she knew that they had been there. She remembered the Seven Towers, whole, and Malkier free of the Blight. She knew that those last two things were true, or were going to be true soon enough, so was this vision something that was going to happen? Light! Lan's baby!

She could feel a curiosity in Lan's mind at feeling Nynaeve's elation. She had no doubt how he would respond to the news. The Malkier throne had an Heir! Another thought came to her.

"That's why it was so impossible to embrace the Source!" Nynaeve exclaimed, her excitement mounting . "I thought it was just because I was so tired! But you weren't like this. You could at least function all the time, even if you couldn't channel. I feel like I could sleep for weeks, and still not have slept enough!"

"Every pregnancy is different, I expect. Aviendha can't channel at all. She can't even get a spark. It's so maddening for her - she's as cross as a bear with a sore tooth. I feel for the poor Clan Chiefs that have to deal with her right now! The ability to channel should return to normal in the next few months. If you want, I can see if Melaine would be able to check on you." Elayne said, her eyes glowing. "I suspect that the only reason you were able to channel as much as you have been, is because you are the most stubborn woman I've ever met!" she added with a laugh.

Nynaeve barely heard her. She was going to have Lan's baby! How long had she dreamed of this very thing? She would have to return to Malkier and let Lan know. She wasn't sure that she wanted to be a part from him during this time. She wanted him to be there, through it all. If her ability to channel would take a while to return, then she could be of no use to these poor men, and helping them heal. They would either have to wait, till she returned, or the Aes Sedai would have to figure it out on their own.

"I'm so excited for you!" Elayne burst out, wrapping Nynaeve in a big hug, tears falling from their faces.

Pulling back from the embrace, Nynaeve looked at Elayne. "Enough about me. You need to tell me all about Egwena and Gawyn! I want to hear everything that they are doing! We don't have much time before you have to leave!"


	3. Chapter 3: Lila

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you, kitkitmaria, for editing this one too! You are amazing!_**

Chapter Three: Lila

Fortuona Athaem Kore Paendrag sat watching the _damane_ training. Most _Sul'dam_ preferred to do their training in private, but these were her personal _damane_, and she wanted to watch them work. She loved watching as a particularly stubborn _damane_ was finally broken and trained properly. It soothed her, and Light knew she needed soothing today.

A reply, from the White Tower had finally come, detailing their list of demands. They wanted five men to come to the kennels, question every _damane_, and make a list of every _damane_ who wanted to be freed! Men, in the kennels! It was so disgusting! She had asked Knotai what the White Tower could have been thinking, allowing men into the kennels, and he had just laughed!

_"They don't think of it like you do, Tuon. All they see is women leashed against their will, needing to be freed. There are no disgusting thoughts behind it, they just want to ask everyone, and don't want to be alone doing it! I can't blame them!"_ he had explained.

Even though she understood his view, it still didn't make it proper. Did these Aes Sedai not trust her to keep her word? She was the Empress - her word was law! No, it would not do to have the men in the kennels, no matter what they said. She would make sure that every _damane_ and _Sul'dam_ was down in the gardens when the men arrived, and they could ask them there. She would make sure that the _Sul'dam_ were not to interfere, and that the _damane_ knew that any answer they gave would not be held against them. It would be enough.

To the right of the throne stood Melitene, who was having Suffa show some other _damane_ some interesting weaves. True, Suffa was useless as a weapon, but she could show the other _damane_ the weaves that she knew; she was a wealth of knowledge. Right now, Suffa was standing over a bowl of fruit, showing the _damane_ how to weave a Keeping over it. A remarkable weave, Keeping. Even with the Dark One re-imprisoned, food would still spoil if left out for too long. This was a way for scouts to take something better than camp rations with them, and the food would stay fresh indefinitely.

In the beginning Suffa had been an intolerable, moping _damane_. Her _Sul'dam_ had tried every trick that she knew to break her, but had been largely unsuccessful. It wasn't until Fortuona had taken over that Suffa had been broken. Most _Sul'dam_ liked to use punishments to get the _damane_ to obey; Fortuona used a different tactic. She had found that most _damane_ responded better to rewards than to punishment. At first, Suffa had tried to resist, but spending a few nights sleeping on the floor of her kennel rather than a bed had made the reward system go fast. Now she was willingly giving Fortuona information about the Aes Sedai. Not that any of it mattered with the Dragon's Peace in effect, but it was still a good step.

Her joy at watching her Suffa was short lived. Towards the doors lay a dark haired _damane_ named Lila, drooling and lying on the floor babbling. She had been taken during the Last Battle, by the _Sul'dam_ Shanan. While Shanan had been correct that Lila wasn't an Aes Sedai, technically she had been in breach of the Dragon's Peace. But when asked if she was an Aes Sedai, Wise One, or a Windfinder, Lila had laughed at them and told them no. Shanan normally would have been punished for taking the woman without her being on their lands, but Fortuona reasoned that she was being punished enough .

Things had been fine with Lila when they had first brought her to Ebou Dar. Oh, she was a normal _marath'damane_, full of bad habits, spitting vile things at her _Sul'dam_, demanding to be released. The _Sul'dam_ were used to such things, and Shanan was no different. She would whip and punish through it all, beginning the training immediately. Lila had been stripped of all her clothing and items, and had been taken to watch them burn. She had a beautiful necklace with her that had been placed on the pile to be burned. It was a small cage of gold wire and blood-red crystal dangling on a cord. It was gorgeous, and some of the _Sul'dam_ had thought about not burning it, but instead keeping it as a memento. She wished that the _Sul'dam_ had done that. It would have been better then what had happened to Lila.

When Lila was brought down to watch her things burn, and saw her necklace, she began to scream, begging them to not destroy it. She screamed, even thru the pain that her _Sul'dam_ was leashing on her, that if they destroyed it, it would destroy her. Shanan continued to beat her, thru the a'dam, and another _Sul'dam_ lit the pile on fire. What happened next had been retold to Fortuona a dozen times, and still she couldn't believe it. As soon as the fire hit the necklace, Lila screamed a death curdling scream, and then collapsed on the ground, motionless. She wasn't dead, but neither was she alive. Something in her mind had snapped, and she now was a walking corpse.

Lila could no longer talk, feed herself, or clean herself. Her spark to channel, however, was not affected, and Shanan was now her keeper. The _Sul'dam_ bristled at being a caregiver to a _damane_, but since she had broken the rules by taking her, she would live with caring for Lila for the rest of the _damane_'s life. Getting Lila to understand how to channel was a problem, though. Shanan was not known for being kind, and she had tried everything she could think of to get Lila to respond and embrace the source. Countless beatings, being boiled alive, ants eating their way out of her skin; all being delivered thru Lila's mind via the a'dam, and none of it had any effect. It was as if Lila could not feel anything anymore. She never screamed as the punishments were piled on her. The only sign that she felt anything was a slight whimper every now and then. It made Fortuona shiver.

That was what Shanan was working on today. She sat on the floor, besides Lila, trying to coax Lila to try and embrace _Saidar_. Fortuona didn't know if Lila ever would be able to embrace the source again, but removing the a'dam would be foolish.

Since then, every _marath'damane_ that had been captured, in the lands she held, had been screened for personal items. The only items that were now burned were clothing, and that was only after a thorough search. It seemed like the necklace Lila had on had been an object of power; who knew how many objects of power they had destroyed without knowing? Better to keep them hidden away, and have other _damane_ study everything.

"Have every _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ come here to the Training Room." Fortuona said, suddenly. She knew that Sulcia had been expecting her to make such a demand, with the news from the White Tower.

With a sharp double clap Sulcia sent the da'covale to go for the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. It would take a few moments for the servants to find them all,.

As she waited, she watched the group of _damane_, each taking a turn trying to place a Keeping on various items of food. Such good and faithful _damane_. She didn't want to lose any of her _damane_, but she knew the price she would pay. Who would want to leave her? Would Suffa decide that she wanted to return to the Aes Sedai? She didn't believe that she would, not since Suffa adored Fortuona, but she couldn't be sure. She was giving up 5 _damane_, but how many of those _damane_ would be the strongest ones? The ones that could make the largest lightening bolts, or do the most damage? Then there was Lila. She would never be able to tell the men if she did, or didn't, want to be released. How would they interpret that? Suddenly, the morning of watching the _damane_ work, to soothe her nerves, was no longer working. She felt a sense of sadness and loss, as if she had to give up her Razor.

The _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ began to pile into the Training Room, the _Sul'dam_ going to their knees and the _damane_ lying prostrate. The _damane_, from the corner, stopped what they were doing and joined the others. It was crowded, with over two hundred _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pairs. Over four hundred _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pairs were waiting across the hall for their turn to enter her presence. She would make this brief, unless her grief overtake her.

"We are in the middle of preparing for a large war, to take back Seanchan." Fortuona began. No one dared to look up at her, unless they had permission. She never gave it. It would not due to have her be weak in front of the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. "A war to regain the Empire, and take back what was ours to begin with. In this war, there will be costly damages; lives will be lost."

She paused to clear her throat, as tears threatened to overwhelm her. She stared out at the sea of _damane_, her _damane_. She saw Mylen, who she had bought years back and trained herself. She had been Aes Sedai once. And Pura, who had tried to fight against the leash for so long, but was now the perfect _damane_. She had been Aes Sedai once, as well. How many of them would choose to leave?

"In this war, we are in need of the assistance of our allies. It is not a fault of the _damane_ that we cannot make a gateway large enough, for the Ever Victorious Army to walk thru all at once. Instead, we are enlisting the help of the White and Black Tower. They will be able to make a gateway large enough, for the whole army to pass thru, and leave the _damane_ available as weapons."

Some of the _damane_ began to wiggle slightly, at the mention of the White and Black Tower. They were quickly brought back to stillness by their _Sul'dam_. Was the restlessness because she had mentioned the Towers, or because they wished to go to the Tower?

"In exchange for their services, I have agreed to release five _damane_ to the control of the White Tower. In two days' time, five men will be coming to Ebou Dar to ask every _damane_ if they wish to be one that is released. The _damane_ are to answer truthfully, and the _Sul'dam_ will not hold the _damane_ accountable to the words that the _damane_ says. If a _damane_ wishes to be free, she may tell the men, and her _Sul'dam_ will not punish her for it."

Now, it was the _Sul'dam_ who began to shuffle a bit. No one liked their charge to be able to do whatever they wished!

"I know that this will mean that some of the _Sul'dam_ will lose their _damane_, but when we are back in Seanchan, we will find you new _damane_. Think on this decision, my _damane_. If there are more than five _damane_, who wish to be free, then someone will be left out. Think on it, and remember that you are vital to the retaking of Seanchan."

As the group of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ filed out, she began to mentally prepare for the next round of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. She could get thru this. She didn't have much doubt that the _damane_ loyal to her would remain. Still, it was a piece of heart that was being ripped out. These _damane_ needed to be guided, not off of the leash. The _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ were finished filing in, and she began her speech once again.


	4. Chapter 4: The List

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_A special thank you to Juan Antonio Hinojosa for his idea about the counter proposal from the White Tower! I liked it so much, I decided to use it! Also, thank you kitkitmaria for editing this piece! _**

Chapter Four: The List

The night had been a long and sleepless one for Fortuona. Selucia had tried to help her get to sleep; she had massaged her back and legs, made her some tea that the midwife had suggested, and had even tried singing to her. When that hadn't worked, Fortuona tried walking around, rocking back and forth, but nothing had worked - she just couldn't get comfortable. She had spent most of the night tossing, trying to ease the contractions that would come and go. There was no pattern to them, and her midwife said that it was not time to give birth, but her body was just getting warmed up. It would be soon, she knew. Her body couldn't stretch much more, and the child within her was restless to get out. Finally, in a last effort to get comfortable, she had summoned the servants to get buckets of hot water, so that she could soak in the warm water.

Soaking in the warm water, the contractions had subsided, and she could rest a little. It was nights like this, that she wished that she and Knotai could share a room. He had given her an heir, and asked if he could move into her apartments, but she had refused him. It was improper for them to share a room, and also made it harder for an assassin to get both of them, but she missed his wit and humor. She didn't get some of his jokes, but his presence was a comfort.

There were times when she wished that she and Knotai could be like other married people. True, she wasn't sure if what she felt for him could be considered love, but she did care for him. She found herself missing him when he was away from her, found herself looking at a situation and wondering what he would think about it. It was all silly, and she would chide herself about it when she caught herself doing it, but that didn't stop it from happening.

She stayed in the bath until the sun started to peak over the horizon. Suffa had requested to stay with her through the night, and had been used to channel the water hot over and over again. Fortuona didn't feel like having the servants dump out water only to replace it; she just wanted to be warm. Today was the day that she had been dreading. Oh, she had given the order, made the proposal herself, but now that it was here, a sense of dread was hanging in the air. She would be losing valuable property today, _damane_ that could turn the tide of battle for Seanchan either for or against her.

After she was dressed in dark red robes, she walked back in to her sitting room, only to find Knotai sitting at the table. He was busily eating a biscuit with honey; beside him sat a scroll. Eyeing him critically, she sat down, and waited while Selucia served her food.

"Morning, love." Knotai said, in an oddly happy mood. How could he be in a good mood on today of all days? "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep at all, Knotai." She responded, picking up a piece of fruit that Selucia had prepared for her. Why was he so happy?

"You know," he said, looking very worried all of the sudden, "You could have called for me. We could have played stones, or I could have read for you or something. My Da used to tell me how he and my mother would play countless games of stones, while my mother was waiting for me to be born. Seemed like night was the hardest for her."

He was genuinely worried about her. "No, Knotai, I need you to be at your best for the coming war. You spend all your time in the practice yard or going over battle tactics. I would not have you exhausted as well."

Knotai sighed, wiped his mouth on a napkin, and cleared his throat. "Well, I might as well get this out in the open; although I don't know that it will make you very happy." He handed her the scroll that was sitting on the table by him.

After wiping her hands and face, she took the scroll. As she began to read the contents, her eyebrows climbed higher and higher. Selucia read over her shoulder, a growl forming in her throat.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her voice low but hard.

"It was sent this morning, from the White and Black Tower." He replied, and quickly continued before she could start demanding more of an answer. "It's their terms for the agreement. All completely negotiable, but the longer we keep negotiating, the longer Seanchan will burn."

"They already agreed to our proposal." She said voice still low and hard.

"No, Tuon, they agreed to talk with the _damane_, and see who wishes to be freed. They never said, outright, that they agreed to the proposal that you sent."

He had warned her that dealing with these Aes Sedai was trickier then dealing with a serpent, but she could have sworn that they had agreed. But, Knotai was right, they had not promised that they would agree to anything, only telling her that they would send five men to come and take stock of who wanted to be freed. But this?!

According to the proposal the White and Black Tower had countered, every man that was found with the ability to channel was to be given a choice. They could be executed, as custom demanded, or they could go to the Black Tower to learn to channel. In addition, they did not want only five _damane_ to be released to them, but any _damane_ that wished to be set free. In exchange, they would send any _Sul'dam_ or former _damane_ they had, that wished to be returned to the collar. The Amyrlin had included a list of women that had voiced their wishes to be returned to Ebou Dar and be collared. They had also stated that they wanted one channeler, out of every twenty, that they found in the lands they controlled turned over to the White Tower, as a novice. The other points of the proposal were given; trading between the continents should be encouraged, and a Head of Trade would be appointed by the Empress, dealing with the trade coming from Seanchan. In turn, Andor would have a Head of Trade commissioned to handle all the trade coming from them into Seanchan.

The trade was a good idea, as the Empire would need new building supplies once they had recaptured the land, but the other points were ridiculous! Any male channeler could be free to go to the Black Tower? She had seen those _marath'damane_ channel, and destruction that they had caused. Besides, they had the black collar. They would be able to handle any male channeler now. And give up one in twenty _damane_ to the White Tower? They were just getting greedy!

"I won't do it, Knotai. I don't care how much we might 'need' them, I won't give up the male channelers, or any more _damane_ than I already agreed to."

"Tuon, think about it. We've gone over the battle tactics hundreds of times. You see the wisdom in opening a large gateway, so that everyone can go in and sweep the area clean. If you refuse this, or fail to negotiate with them on this, then we will have to settle for the smaller gateways. You've said yourself that it will leave the army without protection. Your channelers will be used to transport, leaving your army to be slaughtered by the _damane_ that the other side hold." He reached out his hand, and grasped her fingers gently, softening his voice. "You know that the world is changing, the idea of _damane_ is changing. You've known from the beginning how I feel about those women being leashed. I am against it. I will not change that view. Light, you can learn to channel yourself. The women who are born with the ability are no different than those who can learn. I'm not asking you to change how you do things, not right now, but I am asking you to think about what's best for the Empire."

What was best for the Empire? Leaving those scheming Aes Sedai free, that was not best for the Empire or the world. They were _marath'damane_, and should be properly collared. Every last one of them, even the men. Her scouts had told her that the capital was in flames, the rest of the country in upheaval. There were three different factions that were battling each other; using their personal _damane_ to destroy each other and the countryside. Hundreds of thousands were dead, and the people were starving. She would need the army to swarm in and destroy all resistance. Those who tried to take the throne for themselves would be killed before the throne, but their armies would feel the full force of her anger. Her people needed her; she couldn't afford to wait much longer.

She had seen a white dove when she had gotten out of the bath. It meant that great care should be taken in her decisions. The omen was true. Great care should be given. What was best for the Empire?

She wiggled her fingers, telling Selucia that she needed a pen and ink. Once she had them, she began writing in a neat hand.

She crossed out the proposal for one out of every twenty_ marath'damane_ found to be released to the White Tower writing, '_Will not happen. No discussion. The Dragon's Peace ensures that we keep all damane we find in our lands'_. Beside the demand for any men that wished to go to the Black Tower instead of dying, she wrote, '_Agreed. Any that wish to not die, or be collared with the black collar, will be sent to the Black Tower for training.' _She didn't mention that most men would rather die than face that fate. It was a source of great honor to spill your own blood, to keep those you loved safe. Next to the proposal for all _damane_, who wished to be freed, in exchange for the _Sul'dam_ and former _damane_, she wrote, _'You have provided a list of 10 Sul'dam and former _damane_ that wish to be returned to us. We will agree to release the same amount of damane to you, if the damane wish it.'_ By the proposal for trade, she wrote a simple _'agreed'_ by it and handed the scroll back to Knotai.

He quickly scanned the scroll and rolled it back up, tucking it in the pocket in his robe.

"Thank you, Tuon." That was all he said, but saying any more then that would have lowered her eyes. "Shall we go down to the gardens? It's nearly time for the warders to arrive."

She looked at his proffered hand, like it was an oddity, then took it and stood. This gateway had better be worth all that she had just given up.

* * *

A small dais had been set up, under the shade of a peach tree, with two chairs on it. Fortuona walked, waddled was more like it, to it and sat down with Knotai sitting on her left. She would catch him eyeing her up and down, with an appreciative look in his eye. He had told her once that if a man couldn't leer at his wife, who could he leer at? She ignored it, and stared on ahead.

By the garden walls stood the first group of _damane_, two hundred strong, all with heads bowed. They had been walked to the wall by their _Sul'dam_, and then the bracelets had been taken off and the leashes left to dangle. It wasn't comfortable for the _damane_, but she had ordered the _Sul'dam_ to not interfere, and this was their way of making sure that her orders were obeyed.

Through the garden gate, a group of twenty Deathwatch guards escorted five men. These men had a deadly grace to them, their eye wrenching cloaks catching their movements, making them look like disembodied heads walking. They each carried a scroll, and were followed by da'covale who held extra papers and ink bottles.

The men walked up to the dais and went down on one knee, hands on their empty sword belts. Fortuona could see that each man wore a silver fox head just like the one that Knotai wore. So, they didn't trust that the men's minds wouldn't be tampered with, or they wouldn't be harmed? Her anger towards these Aes Sedai was growing.

"Your Highness," one of the warders said, looking up towards her direction, "may we have your permission to proceed?" At least he knew not to look in her eyes.

Wiggling her fingers for Selucia to speak, she waited. She was too angry to speak for herself.

"You may proceed, but we would have you know that there is one _damane_ who will not be able to answer you. Her mind is that of an infant. She will be in attendance, as agreed, but she will not understand you."

"Thank you, Excellency." The same warder responded, and all five of them stood.

She watched as they each walked into a section, asked each _damane_ her name, and if they wished to be released or not. She couldn't hear the _damane_s' answers. She knew that she would get the full list once it was completed, but she couldn't help but watch as each _damane_ was questioned.

The contractions were starting up again, as she watched. No doubt it was the stress she was feeling. She breathed deeply and calmly, relaxing as the contraction subsided. The men were making fast work of dictating everything. Of course, it was a simple matter of writing the _damane_'s name, and a yes or no next to it. How many would say yes? Her anxiety was building, and another contraction started to form. Breathing in and out slowly, the contraction subsided. Knotai sat next to her, watching her from the corner of his eye.

In short order the men finished with the first round of _damane_, and the _Sul'dam_ were walking up, soothing any _damane_ who were visibly upset. Some _Sul'dam_ were stroking the heads of their _damane_, trying to soothe their own nerves instead. The men stood in a group, waiting for the next group of damane to be led in. In this group were Suffa, Mylen, and Lila. Fortuona wished that she could hear what the damane were saying.

Shanan was the last _Sul'dam_ to release her bracelet, looking like a very nervous mother hen. She took her charge very seriously, and didn't want to leave Lila. Finally, with a pat on Lila's head, whispering in her ear, Shanon joined the other _Sul'dam_, poised on the balls of her feet to rush over if Lila showed the least bit of anxiety. Lila stood there as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Staring off into nothing, just an empty shell.

The men waited until all the _Sul'dam_ were out of the way, and continued with their questions and notations. Fortuona felt a spike of worry, as one warder made it to Suffa. Suddenly, a contraction rippled through her body, and she was hard pressed to suppress a moan. Breathing in and out, she breathed through the contraction until it subsided. As she sat there, a small trickle of warm, wet, liquid began to flow under her robes. She knew what it was, as another small contraction started. Light, any time but now! Wiggling her fingers to Selucia, she looked at Knotai.

"I need you to finish up here, Knotai. You know what needs to be done."

A look of concern was on his face, in an instant. "What's wrong?" he whispered, helping her to her feet.

"Nothing's wrong. It's only time for the baby to be born."


	5. Chapter 5: Viewings

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_A special thanks to kitkitmaria who is my Beta Reader. You made this story so much better! Thank you for editing this!_**

Chapter Five: Viewings

The contractions were less than a minute a part, and Fortuona was exhausted. Her midwife had suggested sitting in a tub to soak while she dilated, and it had helped tremendously, but she had been in active labor for almost seventeen hours. Her midwife assured her that it was perfectly normal, especially for a first time mother, but Light she was tired! The brief moments in between contractions had allowed her to eat little bites, or drink some, but what she wanted was to have this child out. How had her mother gone through this so many times during her life?

Another contraction came almost on top of the previous one. Hashala, her midwife, checked her and confirmed that it was time to start the pushing. Hashala's apprentice helped Fortuona out of the tub, and supported her standing through another contraction; putting slight pressure on her hips to relieve some of the pain. It helped enough to let her catch her breath. She had not made much noise above a groan, but those groans were coming much more frequently. Selucia stood over in the corner, for once not able to do anything, looking like she was going to be sick.

"Push when you feel the need to, your Majesty." Hashala said, squatting down to catch the baby once it started making its way out. Another contraction came and she bore down with everything she had. The arms that held her up suddenly tightened, as she stood and pushed for all she was worth. She felt the head descend into the birth canal. Another contraction came, right on top of the other one, and she pushed yet again. She let out a scream, as a ring of fire seemed to flare up in her private area, but she didn't stop pushing.

"Here's the head! Stop pushing just a minute!" Hashala ordered, and Fortuona stopped pushing as much as she could. Her body was still trying to push for her, and she trembled as the midwife gently used her hands to ease the shoulders out, without tearing her. As soon as the shoulders were out, the rest of the body came flying out. The baby started crying immediately, as the apprentice helped Fortuona to the prepared bed.

"It's a healthy baby boy, your Majesty!" Hashala exclaimed, handing the baby to Fortuona, as she clamped the cord.

The baby immediately quieted down, as he found his way to her breast, and began to suckle. A boy? Knotai would be so pleased! She would have to think of a name, but for now she was content to watch her son suckle in peace. She felt so dizzy and lightheaded all of the sudden.

"I don't feel right." Fortuona said, as she tried to focus her now fuzzy eyes on her son. "I'm having a hard time ssss…"

The last word was hard to make, and she felt her head hit her pillow. She could hear Hashala checking under the sheets, and hissing in alarm.

"Quickly, we need someone that can Heal her! She's hemorrhaging!"

The last sound she heard was her son's cry, as he was swept out her arms, then everything went black.

* * *

Mat, as he would always think of himself no matter what foolish name Tuon gave him, sat on the dais waiting for the Warders to finish up. His mind was barely on what they were doing; rather his thoughts were on Tuon and her labor. Was she ok? Blood and bloody ashes, it was hard to just wait for the news!

"You Grace, we are done. Would you like a copy of the list?" said a gnarled warder. His knuckles had the look of one who had been in too many bar fights, and his nose was decidedly crooked.

"Yes, that would be good of you. And listen, I have the proposal the White Tower sent, with the Empress' answers to it. Also, you might give the Amyrlin this other piece of paper." He said as he handed over the scroll and a smaller piece of paper. "I'm adding my own personal damane to the number of freed damane. They will get the ones promised from the Empress, and I'll add mine in addition. Light knows I don't want her, and I've always told the Empress that I would have her freed. She's Sharan, and I thought the Amyrlin should know that she won't necessarily like being freed."

The warder took the papers and put them in his coat pocket.

"Oh, and tell your bloody Amyrlin that I don't appreciate the new conditions to the proposal, and that I see through her little charade. Trade will be opened, and she knows that the Seanchan think of the damane as property. I doubt that the Empress will be happy to trade for damane. She didn't see it, or at least didn't let on, but I did. We'll get those damane freed, but it won't be through tricks on the Towers' part!"

The warder blanched slightly at the word 'Bloody Amyrlin', but Mat was in no mood to be nice, or regal for that matter. He was bloody Mat Cauthon, no matter what Tuon called him, and he would bloody talk any bloody way he pleased!

The warder bowed slightly, and made his way back to the others. Mat didn't watch them leave; he took his copy of the list and made his way back to his rooms.

He wanted to go stand in front of Tuon's bedroom door, but he figured that it might seem improper, or at least like he was lurking. He would go and check on her in a minute, but for now he wanted to read the list. He would have to be prepared to show it to Tuon, and be there to sooth her, if it turned out to be bad. She put a lot of stock on these damane, and their supposed loyalty.

Opening the scroll, he quickly read the names, and counted 30 damane that wished to be freed. Blood and bloody ashes, Tuon would not like reading that. She wouldn't be bothered that some of the damane would be freed, she had promised that, but not knowing which ones the Tower would choose would drive her insane. At least she could take comfort in knowing that her favorite damane wished to remain with her.

Supper came, and he ate mechanically, not really tasting anything. There had been no word on Tuon's progress, or what was happening. He paced, after eating, until the sun set low. The small clock, on the fireplace mantel, chimed nine o'clock. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, and left his apartments. His poor manservant, Wyor, had been in fits watching him pace back and forth. The man was going to give himself a stroke, waiting for Mat to either ask to go to bed or do something other than pace.

He made his way to Tuon's apartments, and grabbed a sitting chair that was nearby. No one could fault him for wanting to sit outside her apartments, waiting for word. And if they did fault them, well they could go jump off a cliff. He could hear shuffling, and groans coming from inside, and he fought everything within him to go in there and be with her. He knew that he would just be in the way, but bloody ashes, she was having his baby!

A servant walked by, and Mat asked him what time it was.

"Just after one in the morning, Your Grace." The reply came.

Light, he had been sitting there for hours, listening to the groans, and groaning himself. She might be tough, but she was so small and frail. If anything happened to her, he didn't know what he would do.

Suddenly, a baby's cry pierced the air, and Mat sat up sharply. His baby was born! A servant ran to the door, and seeing him there, gave a huge grin.

"It's a boy, Your Majesty!" she said, then quickly closed the door to go back inside to help Tuon.

A boy? He had known it would be, when Tuon had told him she was pregnant! _"I wonder if I could get her to agree to name him after my da?"_ he thought to himself.

Suddenly, another servant rushed out, and seeing her white face, he jumped up to his feet.

"What's wrong?" he demanded, and he would be a goat kissing Trolloc if he cared about hurting anyone's feelings.

"We need a healer, Your Majesty, "she said, tears running down her eyes. "The damane Suffa tried everything that she could, but she just isn't skilled enough to save her!"

Mat pushed passed her, into the apartments. He rounded the corner to where he knew her bed was, and froze. The bed was soaked with blood, and Tuon's dark skin was pale and drawn. He could see her chest rise and fall, thank the Light, but she was unconscious. At Tuon's side kneeled Suffa, with her _Sul'dam_ Melitene, trying to soothe her.

"Why haven't you healed her?" Mat demanded, barely reining in his anger. If anything should happen to Tuon, he would hold this damane personally responsible.

"Suffa tried, Your Majesty, " Melitene said, trying to soothe Suffa all over again. "Suffa is a good damane, and tried to heal her, but Suffa's not strong in healing. None of the damane are." Suffa began to weep harder, and Melitene kneeled down, whispering softly into her ear.

Mat's thoughts wouldn't come clearly. They had tried, but it wasn't enough. The damane weren't strong enough. Who would be? The answer came as fast as he had asked it.

"I need a gateway to the White Tower - now, Suffa! You will stop your crying, and serve your Empress now, or I will beat you both!"

The crying subsided slightly, and Melitene gave Mat a glare, or it would have been a glare if she hadn't caught herself and bowed her head. There were perks to be royalty, sometimes. Suffa and Melitene stood up, and Suffa made Mat a gateway right into the heart of the traveling grounds within the White Tower.

* * *

"Nynaeve, I need you, please!" Mat hated to beg, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She was the only one that he knew of, that could heal her. He just knew it! "What do you think will happen to the damane that could be freed, if she dies? Any hope of freedom will die with her! You know that!"

He stood, in front of her apartments, in the White Tower, surrounded by a group of Tower guards. They didn't like a man suddenly appearing out of the Traveling grounds, no matter who he claimed to be. They had agreed to escort him to Nynaeve's room, only after one of the Sisters had recognized him.

Nynaeve looked at him, with a touch of sorrow in her eyes. She looked so tired, like she hadn't slept in weeks.

"I don't know that I can, Mat. It's not that I don't want to, but I've been having a hard time embracing the source. You see, I'm expecting a child as well."

What in the bloody name of Artur Hawkwing left hand did that have to do with anything? She was the strongest Aes Sedai he knew, and the only one that could save Tuon!

"Please Nynaeve, can't you just try?" She must have seen how desperate he was, because she sighed, walked into her rooms came back out with that gaudy bracelet and ring set she owned, and a jeweled belt.

"I trust you, Matrim Cauthon, to make sure that the Seanchan don't decide that they want a strong Aes Sedai as damane, instead of saving their Empress."

He breathed a bit easier as he walked with her to the Traveling Ground.

* * *

Mat led Nynaeve to Tuon's side, and sat down beside her. He couldn't have been bothered if the earth had opened up and swallowed Illian right then. He could only watch Tuon's pale face, as she breathed shallowly . He watched Nynaeve's face, as well, and she did seem to be having a hard time channeling. He hoped that it wasn't because she was sick. She wouldn't risk exposing Tuon to some contagious sickness, would she?

He watched as Nynaeve's face went from serene to angry, then finally triumphant. Whatever had happened had taken some time to finally happen. Finally, she put her hands on Tuon's face. Mat felt his foxhead grow cold, and knew that she was channeling. A few minutes later, he watched as the color returned to Tuon's face and her breathing came easier. Nynaeve sighed, suddenly looking very tired, and stood up.

"I've done everything that I can do. She's lost a lot of blood, but I've repaired the hemorrhage, and if she makes it through the next few hours, she'll be out of harm's way. There's nothing else to do." She looked at Mat, "You're lucky that my well was filled, I don't know that I would have been able to heal all of the damage on my own, as tired as I am."

Well? Was Nynaeve losing a control of her senses? She looked lucid enough, but she was Aes Sedai, and they were all rather odd!

"Thank you, Nynaeve. You should get some sleep - You look terrible!"

Nynaeve gave Mat a flat stare. "Thank you Mat, I would never have thought to do that."

Mat motioned for Suffa to open the gateway again, and watched as Nynaeve walked through to the White Tower.

He turned back to Tuon's side. She did look better; her pallor had faded and her breathing was less labored. He wanted to cry from happiness and worry. He would have sat down beside her again, but a whimper caught his attention.

He turned, and saw Selucia holding a small bundle. Her normal hard eyes were soft now, and looking lovingly at the bundle in her arms. His son. This was his son! He walked over, and Selucia reluctantly handed over the baby.

He was perfect, skin the color of caramel and baby-soft. He had little wisps of black curly hair, and he was suckling on his thumb. He could see parts of himself in him, and Tuon as well. He had Tuon's nose and lips, and his chin. He was beautiful. All Mat could do was smile, and stare into his son's perfect face.

* * *

Min rode her horse through the busy streets of Ebou Dar. She had heard the good news as soon as she had arrived in the city; Fortuona had had her baby early that morning, a son. The entire city was celebrating the birth of the child.

Min paid it no mind; she would soon be back to her duties as Truthspeaker for Fortuona. It was a title that she did not want, but Mat had convinced her that it was what Rand would have wanted. In fact, she had just spent the past week with Rand. Although he called himself Pel Dacan now. He no longer looked like the old Rand, either, but inside it was all him. She had spent the most incredible 10 days in the arms of her sheepherder. Well, the body was all wrong, but no matter what he looked like, he would always be her sheepherder.

When he had heard about her position, he was thrilled at the possibility that it presented.

"Min, you can be a valuable resource to keeping the Dragon's Peace! Maybe, you will be the one that sees the damane are all freed and the land restored." His eyes had sparkled like the old Rand's eyes had, when he talked about it. He really wanted to see the land restored; true and lasting peace brought about. Light, it hurt having to leave him again. He had insisted that she go back to her duties, to do her best to bring about the Peace he had fought so hard to secure.

She had agreed to go back, even though it tore out her heart to do so. In the back of her mind, she could feel the bundle of emotions that was all Rand. He was traveling north, seeing the world as he had never been able to in the past. He had no plans, as of the moment, and was happy to just see the world. He had talked about buying a farm near the Two Rivers so he could be near his father, when he had seen all he wanted to see. He had also talked about buying an inn, in Caemlyn, so that he could be near his children. Life was so full of possibilities now; possibilities that had never occurred to him would exist!

Finally, she made it through the throng of people, and was at the palace gates. The guards there knew her, and knew her position, and bowed low.

"Welcome, Doomseer" said one of the guards as he ushered for a groom to take her horse.

She sighed. It was back to being Darbinda, the Truthspeaker for the Empress, might she live forever. She couldn't even say the word Empress, without adding the rest. Nine months had quickly taught her to say the correct title. Oh, she was never punished, but hearing that over and over again, you thought it and said it just like everyone else.

She relinquished her horse and went inside the Palace. There was an abnormal amount of activity, especially if Fortuona has just had the baby. What was going on? Surely, they weren't planning on a party for her, right after giving birth? She shrugged it off, and went to her rooms to wash and change.

She was met by her servant, who told her the news of the past few hours while she washed. Fortuona had indeed had a son, but had she almost had died. The White Tower sent their most powerful healer and probably put some kind of spell on the Empress. Everyone knew how the White Tower wanted to sink their fangs into the Empress and make her their puppet.

Min, sat listening to the gossip, sorting through what she knew was fiction and what was probably true. The Empress had almost died, and had been healed by an Aes Sedai. But, the White Tower would never place compulsion on the Empress, would they? It all would depend on who the Aes Sedai had been.

Finally, Min was dressed back in the ridiculous robes that Fortuona insisted that she wear. They were terribly uncomfortable, and made moving quickly a pain. Fortuona had wanted her to shave half of her hair, since she had been raised to the blood, but Min had refused that vehemently. She would do what she had to do for Rand, but she would not shave her head! That had been a point she had argued, and won, with Fortuona.

She made her way to the Empress' apartments, and walked in the door. The midwife was still there, hovering over Fortuona like a mother hen, waiting on her hand and foot to make sure that she was alright. There were da'covale there, cleaning up the room, removing all evidence that she had just given birth a few hours past. Fortuona herself sat up in bed, looking radiant. Her skin's coloring was normal, if flushed, and she had just been clean shaven by another da'covale. The bed had been remade in red silk sheets, and she sat propped up by pillows. She looked for the entire world like she had not just given birth, but was just sitting at her ease. To the side of her, stood Mat holding a small bundle, making goofy noises and faces. He looked like a complete looby.

It wasn't the fact that Fortuona looked so well, or watching Mat with the baby, that made Min freeze; it was the auras that now swam around Fortuona's head. A silver collar around her neck, then suddenly broken off. Then thousands of collars spun around her head, all of them breaking into millions of pieces. She didn't know what the last one meant, but she knew that the first one meant that someone was going to put an a'dam around Fortuona's neck, and somehow she would be freed of it. She saw an aura around Mat, as well. Seven dark towers, all crumbling around him. She couldn't tell him what that meant, either. It didn't look right, as if she was seeing it through a fog.

"Welcome back, Darbinda. I have missed your service to the Throne." Fortuona said, eyeing her and knowing that she had seen something. "I trust your trip with your 'cousin' went well?" Her face betrayed nothing, but Min knew that Fortuona didn't believe Pel to be her cousin. Oh well, it had been a long shot! She would have to tell her a version of the truth sometime, if she was going to be in her service for the long term, and needing to keep requesting time away to see Rand.

She bowed her head, and rose. She had been told that she needn't be as formal as the others of the Blood, since she was the Truthspeaker.

"I did, Your Majesty. I am sorry that I was not here when you needed me." There, that would do for now.

She walked over, to stand by Fortuona's side. She knew what was coming next.

"What did you see, when you walked in?" Fortuona asked, in a half whisper.

Min sighed. There never was any hope that Fortuona had not seen Min's startled look.

"I saw an a'dam around your neck one minute, then in the next it was broken off. Then, I saw thousands of a'dam being broken into pieces all around you. I don't know what the last one means, but the first one means that someone is going to put an a'dam on you and that you will be freed from it. I've seen it before."

Fortuona never questioned her viewings, but took everything in stride.

"No doubt, someone will seek to test the ridiculous claims from the White Tower that _Sul'dam_ can channel, and will attempt to put a collar on me. They will realize that the claims are false, when I take the a'dam off my neck," she said, attempting to sound sure, but with a hint of questioning to her voice. She knew the Fortuona would never admit it, but the revelation had rattled her.

The baby began to whimper, looking for food, and Mat brought him to Fortuona.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" She asked, as the boy hungrily latch on.

"It is bad luck to reveal his name to the public before he is a week old, but Knotai wishes to name him after his father, and I would like to name him after mine. My father's name was Lurek, and Knotai's was Abell. So, perhaps Aburek. We have not decided." The child continued to nurse.

She couldn't take her eyes off the baby. He was beautiful, that was true, but around his small head danced auras; a hawk in flight, towers bowing to him, and rulers casting their crowns before him. She had never seen auras around someone so young, and especially not ones that she was sure of the answer. This baby would be the next Artur Hawkwing, perhaps even the rebirth of Artur Hawkwing himself, and would make nations bow before him. She didn't know what the towers meant, as they were the same towers in Mat's aura. This child was no normal child, of that she was certain.

_I will not be posting as many chapters, in the upcoming weeks. I am under strict orders from my doc to rest my dominate hand. My Carpal Tunnel is flaring up, and it's either take it easy and do the exercises that have been ordered, or I'm looking at surgery! Please know, I am NOT going to stop writing this, but it will be a bit longer of a period in-between chapters. Thank you for understanding!_


	6. Chapter 6: A Meeting

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you, kitkitmaria, for your editing skills and suggestions. As always, you are amazing!_**

Chapter Six: A Meeting

Her Illumined Majesty, Zarine ni Bashere t'Aybara, Shield of the North and Sword of the Blightborder, High Seat of House Bashere; Lady of Bashere, Tyr, Shahayni, Asnelle, Kunwar, Ganai and Sidona and Queen of Saldaea sat idly watching the proceedings in the Throne Room of the Sun Palace. Elayne Trakand had requested their presence as a new Steward was named over Cairhien. She fought the urge to shift too much and draw unwanted attention to her eight month pregnant belly. She was getting uncomfortable in the small throne that had been provided. Of course it was a much smaller throne than the Sun Throne, the one that Elayne sat on. It would not do to have the Queen of Saldaea on an equal footing, since Elayne was their liege. That was something that still goaded her; that she was sworn to the Queen of Andor and Cairhien – she, the Queen of Saldaea!

Finally she had to shift, and as she had feared, some eyes turned to look at her. It was hard to miss the massive bulge of the unborn twins within her. As she shifted, the twins shifted to, with one shoving its foot under her left rib. She fought a groan and a grimace, and tried to push the foot away. It seemed as if so many women were suddenly having children; she wondered if it was because of all the people who had died during the Last Battle. Maybe the Pattern was trying to recover some of its pieces, by pushing them back out again. As fast as It possibly could.

Moiraine Damodred knelt in front of Elayne as the ceremony came to an end. She looked regal in a dark blue silk gown, with white lace at the neck and sleeves. Her only jewelry was her Great Serpent ring and a brooch that Elayne had pinned on to announce her status. Elayne had chosen wisely in Moiraine as Steward of Cairhien. It would be difficult for her to see to rebuilding Caemlyn and to handle the politics of Cairhien as well. She could think of no better person to handle the Carhienin than Moiraine. Between her and Thom Merrilin, Cairhien and _Daes Dae'mar would never be the same._

The ceremony ended, and the dignitaries had been asked to join the Queen in a private banquet hall. Faile made her way to the banquet hall, holding onto Perrin's arm He looked majestic in a burgundy shirt, in a Saldaean cut, and deep black trousers. The edges of the shirt were laced in gold, and it bore the Wolfhead symbol on the right breast, also in gold. It matched the gown that she wore, and together they drew every eye as they walked into the room.. Perrin had not liked theSaldaean laws that had made him King when she inherited the Throne. He would have been perfectly happy just be the High Lord of the Two Rivers, and go back to be with his people. Despite all the grumbling of being made a king, he had fallen into his new title and duties perfectly. He was a natural leader, and the Saldaean people seemed to worship him. He no longer grumbled that people shouldn't ask him for his ideas, and talked less and less about 'just being a simple blacksmith'. He was no simple blacksmith. He was a wolf and a king – indeed, the Wolf King of the Prophesies of the Dragon (and hadn't she been surprised when she figured that out).

As they stood with their backs to a window, Elayne walked up to them, and Faile bowed her head. She doubted that she could really attempt a curtsy right now, anyway.

"Walk with me?" Elayne asked in a tone that left little room for argument.

"The gardens are so beautiful this time of year." Elayne mused as she led them out of the banquet hall and into the private gardens. "Especially the roses. You really should smell them if you have the chance. Simply divine."

They continued walking as Elayne led them farther into the garden, away from prying ears.

"I don't know what you're getting at," Perrin said in a low voice, "but out with it. Can't you see how uncomfortable Faile is?"

He may be accepting his new roles, but restrained he was not.

"Ever the subtle one, aren't you Perrin?" Elayne said with a chuckle. "You're right, I do tend to ramble. Here, please sit down, Faile." Elayne pointed to a stone bench, and sat down beside her.

"I do want to talk with you both about a sensitive topic. It's about the Two Rivers."

"Are they in trouble? I haven't gotten word about anything." Perrin said, suddenly looking apprehensive.

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that. You see, when we made our bargain about you being the High Lord of the Two Rivers, it was under the assumption that you would actually be _living_ there. Of course we had no way of knowing that Tenobia and Davram would die in the Last Battle, leaving Faile as Queen and the Lady of every house in Saldaea save one. We knew that it was a possibility, but I hoped that it would be a far-off one. The problem is, you named Tam al'Thor as an _acting_ Lord in your stead. I would like to make that more permanent. He knows that he is the grandfather to Rand's babies, and it would make another tie for Andor to the Two Rivers if you agree to it."

"What exactly do you want me to do about it?" Perrin said, "It looks like you have everything in hand, why not just make it official?"

Her poor, trusting Perrin. He was learning, but he still had so far to go.

"I can't do that, Perrin. I ceeded the Two Rivers to the Dragon Reborn, and named you as its High Lord and Steward. For me to make Tam al'Thor a Lord would be overstepping my boundaries. That was the agreement we made."

It made sense to make Tam al'Thor Lord over the Two Rivers, but Faile didn't like how Elayne was trying to sink her claws back into the area. The Two Rivers had been part of Andor only in name - why did she want to have it back?

"Your Majesty, if I may ask why is it so important for you to make Tam al'Thor a Lord. The people see him as one, since Perrin made him an acting Lord, so why the need for all of this? Perrin has done a wonderful job managing his time between Saldaea and the Two Rivers. The people don't mind." She wanted to see if her suspicions were correct.

"I've said it before, but ceeding the Two Rivers to the Dragon Reborn was not something I wanted to do. The Two Rivers is a part of Andor, and I would have it be tied to Andor in whatever way I can. Having the Dragon Reborn's father as Lord of the Two Rivers cements a claim for Gawyn to become Lord over the Two Rivers one day, since he's Tam al'Thor's grandchild. You said that would not push for our children to be betrothed from birth Perrin, so I will have to try and secure the Two Rivers any way I can."

At least she had been honest. Faile didn't like the roundabout way she had come to tell them the truth, but at least she had told them. She suspected that there was more than just wanting her son to be a Lord over the Two Rivers. Light knew that Elayne controlled enough lands. Her daughter, Egwena, would be Queen of Andor, and that would mean that Gawyn could be King of Cairhien if Elayne wished it. Why would she want him to be a simple Lord over the Two Rivers… unless it was about getting more tax money to rebuild Caemlyn or recruiting more soldiers for her army? Before Perrin could utter a word, she spoke up.

"We have no issue with making Tam al'Thor a Lord, but he is still subject to Perrin as his High Lord. All coffers in the treasury are subject to King Perrin, High Lord of the Two Rivers to be used as the High Lord wishes to repair the Two Rivers. Tam will continue on as Lord, and will have a legal title which will be transferred upon his death to his nearest kin. The nearest kin will be named Lord or Lady of the Two Rivers, but will still be subject to the King and High Lord. Since you ceeded the Two Rivers from Andor, the people are exempt from being drafted into the Andoran army."

Elayne's face showed her disapproval at what Faile had said. It confirmed what Faile had speculated - Elayne had wanted Tam to have full control of everything in the Two Rivers, so that in turn Andor would have full control of the Two Rivers upon his death. She had also either wanted the tax money to help in repairs or had or wanted the men to fight in her armies.

"I still would like to have Tam al'Thor named as Lord of the Two Rivers, so that the title can be passed to his kin. We agreed to encourage our children to marry one another, to strengthen our borders, but since Perrin won't allow an arranged marriage, then I would ask this of you."

"I can agree to that, what about you Perrin?" Faile asked.

Perrin very rarely spoke up in meetings like this, especially when the talking turned to borders and politics. He preferred to let her take care of that, and he would work with the people. Saldaea's people had fallen for her Wolf King as fast as she had.

"I can agree to that, and even agree to give the Lord of the Two Rivers the ability to use the taxes as needed, but it will be subject to annual audits. If the treasury is being mishandled, then Saldaea will be able to punish the Lord or Lady as needed, and strip all titles. I'm not saying Tam would do anything like that, but for future Lords and Ladies."

Faile and Elayne gaped at Perrin, both with looks of shock painted on their faces. Faile would have preferred to bring that up subtly, when they signed the contract putting the new Lord in position. She had not expected Perrin to even think of that, let alone voice it!

"I think that is very wise, husband. It will make sure that any taxes that are collected can be used in the way that they are needed, and protect the people from mismanagement in the future." Faile said, trying to mask her surprise. Perrin never ceased to surprise her. She knew that he had considered himself slow in thought, but he was quickly outgrowing that. "We're not saying that Gawyn al'Thor would ever think to harm the Two Rivers, or mismanage anything, but you can't be sure what kind of Lord or Lady will come after him." She added, to soothe sting of Perrin's announcement.

Elayne recovered from her shock without a bit of hesitation. "Of course, it is wise for that to be in place. I myself have several audits in place in Cairhien, to make sure everything is being used for its intended purpose. No offense was taken."

"Is that the all you wanted us here for, Elayne? This could have been handled through a gateway, you know." Perrin said, almost with a hint of anger. Faile knew that he was worried about stressing her body while she was pregnant, but he was starting to treat her like a porcelain doll. They would have to have words about it later, just so she could prove how unbreakable she was. Besides it had been months since their last argument; it was time for another one, and another chance to make up.

"Did I miss something?" Elayne started to ask, and Faile answered before things could get out of hand.

"Perrin is being overprotective. If it was up to him, I would sit in a goose down padded chair, with my feet propped up all day, never moving until the babies are born. I've explained to him a dozen times that I feel fine, and I'm not about to just sit around."

"Men always seem to think that they know better, especially about a woman's body!" Elayne laughed.

Poor Perrin's face turned bright red, and he would have started an argument right there, if Elayne hadn't spoken up.

"No, sadly that's not the only reason I wanted to see you. I have news from the Seanchan that I wish to tell you." Elayne began

As Faile sat on stone bench listening to Elayne, she began to think that perhaps a goose down padded chair wouldn't be a bad idea. Her ankles were starting to swell, and putting her feet up sounded like a good idea. Maybe once they got back to Saldaea she would let Perrin have his way, without an argument. Just this once.


	7. Chapter 7: Ji'e'toh

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you kitkitmaria for editing this!_**

Chapter Seven: Ji'e'toh

Aviendha, Wise One of the Jindo sept of the Taardad Aiel, sat naked in the tent waiting for Monaelle to arrive. She had been instructed to sit next to the brazier, allowing the heat to soak into her to get as warm as possible. Hessalam sat in the corner, like a cat waiting to spring at the slightest motion that Aviendha needed her.

Hessalam's face never ceased to make a knot form in Aviendha's stomach. She had been Graendal once, one of the Forsaken and feared by men, and one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her very name had once been used to scare children into going to bed. Now her face would be a thing of nightmares. Her mind was under such a heavy compulsion, there was nothing left of the woman she had been. The Compulsion had been Hessalam's doing. She had been attempting to place a weave of Compulsion on Aviendha, but it had been reflected back on her when Aviendha had picked apart a nearby gateway. Hessalam had shown no honor; placing weaves of Compulsion on Rhuarc, Sarene,and Sashalle Anderly, and using them against those whom they had loved. Aviendha herself, had killed Compulsion-riddled Rhuarc, and it had and still hurt her deeply to do so. Hessalam truly was _da'tsang; s_he wore black now, and would never be allowed to put it off.

Aviendha had struggled with what to do with Hessalam, even having a meeting with other Wise Ones about it. They had come to the conclusion that Hessalam was to blame for Aviendha's destroyed feet and that Hessalam had brought this upon herself.

She had asked Nynaeve to delve her, to see if the Compulsion could ever be removed. Nynaeve had delved her the day after Rand's body had been burned, and came to the conclusion that if the weave was removed, Hessalam would die; since it was such a thick weave of Compulsion. That only left the problem of what to do with her. The Aiel did not have servants like the wetlanders, and Aviendha felt uncomfortable keeping one of the Forsaken in her service, even if her mind was gone. After months of deliberation, she had finally decided the only thing was to make her _da'tsang. _It was not something that she had done lightly; naming someone _da'tsang _was to strip them of all honor, all _ji_, leaving nothing but _toh_. It was not something to be done lightly, indeed.

Hessalam added more wood to the fire in the brazier, and sweat was pouring out of every pore in Aviendha's body. It had been over three months since her last menses, and three months since she had last spent a night in Rand's arms. She had to stop thinking of him as Rand; his new name was Pel. One day, if she wasn't careful, she was going to slip up and tell someone that it was Rand's baby; that would be a difficult thing to explain.

Monaelle walked into the tent, quickly closing the flap to not let any heat out. She let her eyes adjust to the darker interior, and made her way over to Aviendha.

"I see you, Aviendha." Monaelle said, sitting next to her.

"I see you, Monaelle." Aviendha said in greeting. It had been months since she had seen the Wise One.

"So, when was the last day of you last menses? " Monaelle asked all business.

"Approximately ninety days ago. It was about three days before I left to visit my first sister in Caemlyn."

Monaelle pulled out a tube, from a bag she had brought, and listened to her heart. She then pulled down Aviendha's eyelids, and checked her eyes. Once that was done, she checked the glands in her throat, having her swallow. Finally she was done with her external exam.

I am going to need you to stand up. Hessalam, come here and hold her up for me." The Wise Ones had no problem ordering Hessalam around. Even though Aviendha knew that Hessalam was under her own web of Compulsion, and wouldn't even think of channeling without an order from Aviendha, she was still uncomfortable being around her. It shamed her to think that a _da'tsang _could make her feel this way.

She hobbled to a standing position, putting all of her weight on Hessalam's arms; she was unable to walk far or stand for long unaided. It was not something that bothered her; she had gained much _ji_ in the battle that had cost some of her toes. What bothered her was that she still had the former Forsaken with her; the Compulsion had tied Hessalam to her. It had taken an order from Aviendha for Hessalam to even obey an order from another Wise One.

She stood over the brazier, hanging onto Hessalam's arms, letting more heat soak into her abdomen. She watched as Monaelle wove Spirit, Fire, and Earth into Caressing the Child and laid the weave on Aviendha's womb. She watched hungrily as Monaelle wove; she had been unable to touch the Source for a month; that had been her first clue that she might be with child. Elayne had been thrilled to hear that she was expecting. It was not something that Aviendha could keep from her first sister, even though she had no confirmation from Monaelle.

"That is impossible…" Monaelle said, showing surprise for the first time that Aviendha could remember. She was normally so reserved, the perfect Wise One.

"What is wrong, Monaelle?" Aviendha asked, trying to keep panic from her voice.

Monaelle didn't answer; she just kept staring at Aviendha's womb, her hands on her slight bump.

"Monaelle? What is wrong?" Aviendha asked again, this time letting some agitation through.

As if being broken from a trance, Monaelle took her hands off of Aviendha's womb, and sat back.

"I think it would be best if you sat down, Aviendha."

She did so with help from Hessalam, and waited anxiously for what Monaelle had to say.

"I found five heartbeats, Aviendha. One of them was yours, and the other four were the babes. I have never seen this before; the most that I have helped deliver was three babes at once." Her face looked incredulous and perplexed.

"Are they alright?" Aviendha asked, as the recognition of what Monaelle had said. She had remembered having quadruplets, during her second Wise One testing, but hadn't she changed that future? Light preserve and protect her.

"As far as I can tell, they are healthy and strong. I would feel better if Min Farshaw was here, to see if they would be born. I would like to consult with the Aes Sedai in this matter, with your permission. I have never attempted to help a woman labor and deliver four babes. I need to know if it is safe, and what other options we might have to deliver them safely."

"If you think you need the help, Monaelle, I will trust you in this. We will ask the Aes Sedai that still study with us. I am not sure how much help they can be; they do not have many children themselves. Perhaps someone could send for Nynaeve Sedai, and see if she knows of anything." She wasn't sure if the shock had finally hit her. If that part of the vision hadn't changed, how much had they actually been able to avoid. She would have to speak to the other Wise One's about this.

"There is something else that I just cannot explain. I have to clarify something to you first. A babe's brain begins working around six weeks. When I place the weave, Caressing the Child, on a woman, depending on how far along she is, I can sense the brain's function. I can sense all four babe's brains working, but I could swear that I sense a spark in two of them. I'm not very strong in the Power, but I sensed it. It is impossible, I know, but it _was_ there. At least two of your babes will be girls, and they will be able to channel; possibly as soon as they are born!"

She remembered seeing her children's faces. There was Alarch, with his dark hair, who looked more like the body Rand was in now. She could see that now; before, it had seemed odd that she would have a son with dark almost black hair. There was Padra, Janduin, and Marinna as well; their features looking more like the Aiel. She had not thought that they would all be born together. They had all been able to channel as children! She remembered them holding onto _Saidar_ and _Saidin_ all the time; it was never let go. They had grown knowing its embrace. She hadn't thought on the oddity before, but men and women typically did not develop the spark to channel until they hit puberty. Sometimes it was a bit sooner, but never as children or babes!

Monaelle knew what Aviendha had seen in the glass columns of Rhuidean; she had told as many of the Wise Ones as she could, and they had spread the word. They must all know what the future held if they failed to keep the Dragon's Peace.

"I saw them, when I went for my testing a second time to become a Wise One. I saw all four of them." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"We have been successful in changing the future; Bair came back reporting seeing similar things as you, but Amys has been and back, and does not see the same future any longer. We cannot rely that what you saw in the past is relevant any longer."

She placed a comforting hand on Aviendha's shoulder.

"We will do everything that we can to make sure those babies are born healthy. I will not stop until it is done. For now I know it will be hard, but you must take plenty of meals. Those four will take everything they can from you, and more. Double what you eat, if you can. I need you to try and get exercise. I know that it will be painful, but if you are going to carry these four to term, you must be as strong as possible. I'm sure that you can find someone to help you take regular walks."

The thought of walking on her ruined feet made her wince. She would do it, and she would carry these babies to term. These were Rand's babies, what she had wanted since she had first bedded him. She would do whatever it took to protect them.

"Now if you are not feeling up to joining the other Wise Ones, I will understand. I must get going to the meeting, to discuss the clan chiefs' next move. You are still welcome to join us" Monaelle said, standing up and adjusting her brown skirts.

Aviendha motioned for Hessalam to bring her clothing, and waited as the woman dressed her. This meeting was too important for her to miss. The clan chiefs, led by Ronam now, had been debating where the Aiel should go. Their reason for existing had changed thanks to Rand al'Thor. They would no longer exist to fight, to kill one another. They were to bring peace to lands that were in chaos whether the lands in question wanted it or not. The Aiel had embraced their new purpose with zeal, but it left the question of where they would put up residence. Most of the countries had offered up pieces of land for the Aiel to live. No one wanted to offend the Dragon's people, those whom he had made keepers of the Dragon's Peace, but living in the wetlands did not bode well for most of the Aiel. The Three Fold Land was in their blood; it was who they were. Many of the chiefs had talked of going back to their septs and holds, waiting to be called as peacekeepers. That would no longer do for the Aiel. The need for septs and holds as they had been was over.

"No, I will be there. This is too important for me to sit out. You go on, I will be there shortly." She was almost dressed, thanks to Hessalam's help.

"I will save you a seat, Aviendha." And with that, Monaelle left, leaving the flap of the tent open and letting all the heat out and the light in.

* * *

It was getting cooler in Cairhien, where the Aiel were now camped across from the Jangai Pass, right next to the River Gaelin. They would need to make a decision soon, on where the Aiel should go and what they should do before summer was over. Aviendha held onto Hessalam's arm, and walked slowly to where the Wise Ones were waiting. They would wait to start the meeting until she got there.

As she slowly walked up to the tent, its flaps open to let in the breeze, Melaine ran out to greet her.

"Congratulations, Aviendha!" she said, wrapping her in a hug. Melaine had been reserved once, but after having her twin girls she had lost much of her severity. It was really no surprise that Monaelle had told the other Wise Ones about her pregnancy. It would take many women to help her raise these four.

"If you are in need of a nursemaid, I will be weaning the twins off their suck soon. I will be sure to maintain it for you, if you wish help."

She hadn't thought of it before, but she would surely need many nursemaids to help give all four babies suck. There was no way she could do it on her own.

"That would be much appreciated, thank you." Aviendha replied, as she let go of Hessalam's arm and took Melaine's. "Sit outside of the tent, and wait for me." She ordered Hessalam as she was led to the tent by Melaine.

As she sat down on a pillow provided for her, she was suddenly accosted by Amys' hug, and many voices joining in at once.

"Congratulations, Aviendha!"

"Do we know the father?"

"Did this happen when you went to your first sister?"

"I am so happy for you!"

Every statement was exclaimed by a different Wise One, at the same time. It was hard to tell who said what.

"I am so happy for you, Aviendha! You will have to tell us all about the man who helped to heal the hole Rand al'Thor left in you." Amys said, speaking into her hair as she hugged her. She knew that she would have to tell them; she owed them all so much, but she could not reveal too much.

She pushed out of the hug, and smiled at Amys, then looked around the room giving each Wise One a smile.

"Thank you all. I will be more than happy to answer questions- later. But for now we need to discuss what the clan chiefs need to do, and before they decide to do it."

"I told you she would be a great Wise One, Bair!" Amys said, pride radiating from her.

"Humph, as if there was any doubt, Amys! Really!" Bair said a look of pride on her face as well.

Amys sat down next to Bair, and began the meeting.

"We all know why we are gathered. The clan chiefs have gathered to lead our people in the way that is right for the Aiel. We are to discuss what the right thing is for the people."

"We cannot let the Aiel scatter again, Amys." Melaine said, and many of the Wise Ones nodded their heads in agreement.

"But what would you suggest, Melaine? It is the way of our people, to live in the Three Fold Land and fight each other for what we need to survive." Monaelle put in.

"We cannot allow the people to continue on as we have," Melaine continued, "We have a new purpose - to keep the Dragon's Peace. How can we expect to gain the respect and trust of countries that we will do what is right, if we continue to fight amongst ourselves?"

"And what is it that you suggest, Melaine?" Amys asked

"I do not know exactly. All I know is that we can't go back to the way things were."

"I think the biggest problem is that we cannot go back to being separate clans; living in the Three Fold Land." Aviendha added, "How can we let the clans all go back to their holds? We agreed to be the peacekeepers - what if more of us are needed than one sept, hold or clan can provide? It could take days to get all the clans together to end a larger conflict."

"So you would have us settle in a land, together, and become a nation?" Bair asked.

"I do not see any way around it. We have to be united, living as one. No longer can we afford to fight each other for what we need to survive. We are to be peacekeepers, not fighters. When we lived as warrior societies, we fought for what we needed to live. We cannot do that anymore; the idea of being Aiel has to change. I propose that we find a place where the Aiel can live together. The Three Fold Land is no longer needed to punish us. It is our destiny; it is home. We cannot be scattered throughout the lands, but must be united; one people fulfilling our ultimate purpose. We are the People of the Dragon."

"And where would you suggest we go, Aviendha? Stay here in the wetlands and continue to grow soft? We would cease to be Aiel; cease to be who we should be, if we continue to allow ourselves to grow soft." Bair said, and there was fierce agreement from the other Wise Ones.

"Rhuidean. We would build the capital of the Aiel there."

The arguing began immediately between the Wise Ones, each one arguing that Rhuidean should not become the capital of the Aiel. They were not a nation, nor a people to be ruled like the wetlanders. A capital meant that they would need a ruler. Septs meant clan chiefs; many people to rule instead of just one. Everyone argued against the proposal, except for Bair and Aviendha. Bair sat there, her hands in her lap, calming studying Aviendha - evaluating her. Aviendha would have been unnerved, but she reminded herself that she was on equal footing with Bair; so she stared back, waiting. The arguing grew quiet, as the other Wise Ones realized what Bair and Aviendha were doing.

"You have great wisdom in you, Aviendha." Bair said, not taking her eyes off of Aviendha's face. "And you are right. We cannot continue on as before. We cannot allow the clans to go their separate ways, but we cannot expect them to remain near a capital, even holy Rhuidean. Not every spear would be needed, if the Aiel were called upon to fulfill their _toh_ to the _Car'a'carn._ We must leave a guard of Aiel to watch our rear, in case the Sharans decide to come and invade.I suggest that we have a rotation. Every clan and sept will have to provide a turn to watch and be ready, giving the clans that are not on duty a chance to be in their septs; to protect their homes. Rhuidean will be the center of this. The clans will stay in Rhuidean when it is their turn to watch and be ready. If more spears are needed, the dreamwalkers can make sure that the chiefs know to have their spears ready for gateways."

No one would dare to argue with Bair, and all the Wise Ones agreed to the idea.

"But a capital for the Aiel; we will need a clan chief over Rhuidean, if it is to be the center for the Aiel." Amys said.

"Rhuidean will not be a clan or sept or hold, and so will not need a leader in such terms." Bair said, still not taking her eyes off of Aviendha. Aviendha had the distinct impression that Bair was trying to bore into her soul, taking stock and measuring every inch of her at the same time. "What Rhuidean will need is a leader, one who will see to its rebuilding and see that the clans are ready to be used at a moment's notice. One who the Aiel know has our people's best interest at heart, and who they know knew the _Car'a'carn_ and what he wanted for us."

Suddenly it wasn't just Bair looking at Aviendha's face, but every Wise One.

"Me?" Aviendha asked, to stunned to realize what they were asking her.

"Who better?" Amys said, and Bair echoed her.

"We all knew what the _Car'a'carn_ wished, but you were the one that shared his heart. The Aiel know that you only wish to see his wishes fulfilled. "

Aviendha was too stunned to speak. She sat there, as they all agreed that she was the one that would lead Rhuidean, its rebuilding efforts, and most importantly, the Clans that would stay there to wait and watch. She fought to remain calm. She was not ready for this responsibility, was she? She had not been a Wise One for very long, even though the other Wise Ones thought she was ready. Could she do honor to Rand al'Thor, and his wishes? She would have to ask her first sister for advice, if she was going to lead more than a sept. The other Wise Ones had faith that she could do this; it was her duty to her people.

"Now," Bair said, changing the subject, "We have great _toh_ to the _Samma N'Sei_ we sent to spit in Sight Blinder's eye. How can we fulfill that _toh_?"


	8. Chapter 8: A Monument

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you kitkitmaria for editing this, and for your suggestions!**_

Chapter Eight: A Monument

A north wind blew across what had once been called Shayol Ghul, gently tossing the green grass as it passed; it whipped down to Tar Valon and the White Tower, rising past it and on to the River Gaelin, blowing through the trees that surrounded Stedding Tsofu. The wind brought a slight chill to it while ruffling the papers that Loial, son of Arent, son of Halan held in his large hand. The paper was stiff and of the finest quality, all the way from an expert papermaker in Murandy. It would not do to have his life's work written on anything less than the best.

Carefully he tucked the pages he had finished into a writing case, and latched the lid closed. He was almost finished with his work, and it was a masterpiece. Carefully crafted words filled every page, telling of the story of the Dragon Reborn and his battle with the Dark One. He had finally gotten the last interview from Aviendha two months past, and was able to put the finishing touches on his book. It had taken the better part of the year to find every part of the story, and ask his questions about what had happened. The people he had interviewed had not wanted to answer his questions; they seemed to just want to forget the details. Matrim Cauthon had been the worst at answering his questions; he had to drag every answer out of him. He only wished that he would have been able to talk with Rand, but alas the Wheel had woven him out, and he deserved his peace.

Carefully he penned the last line of his book.

_"He came like the wind, like the wind touched everything, and like the wind was gone."_

He sanded the ink to dry it, and sighed. It was the sound like the wind blowing through the empty trees at night. It was finished; his life's ambition was done. He only hoped that he had done his friends justice by telling the story. It was a story that needed to be told, needed to be remembered.

"Husband, your supper is ready" came the call from Erith. She was wearing a cream colored dress with periwinkles embroidered on the bodice. Her slight bulge, indicating her condition, only enhanced her beauty. Loial's ears twitched with delight at hearing Erith voice. They had been married over a year, a very short time for Ogier, and were still in the honeymoon stage of their marriage. His mother was overjoyed at hearing that she would be a grandmother, and was thinking about leaving Stedding Shangtai to be closer to them. He wasn't sure how he felt about having his mother so close now that he was married. Perhaps Erith could dissuade her.

He carefully packed the last page of his book in the writing case, making sure that the pages weren't crumpled or bent. He would make the trip to Cairhien to see that it was published by the University there. Erith still had months left in her pregnancy; Ogier gestations lasted nearly twice that of humans. Of course, everything humans did was hasty, including having children.

He walked down into the home that he and Erith shared, and she greeted him by stroking his ears and then his growing mustaches. He quivered with delight. The scent of her filled his nostrils- a scent like an oak tree in the summer sun, warm and delightful- her tufted ears tremoring as she touched him. She was so beautiful, so glorious. He could spend an eternity just looking in her large eyes, and die a happy Ogier. Sighing he bent down and nuzzled her nose, breathing in her scent more. He had never known that he could love someone so much, or desire someone so completely. His books had been his life before Erith; now she was everything. She had grown bolder since being married to him, almost hasty in wanting to be with him. Being hasty was an attribute that he had always wished he had. She reached up and tugged his ears slightly, then nipped his neck with her teeth. That was all he needed; supper would have to wait just a little bit more.

* * *

Logain Ablar stood watching the _Asha'man_ work, repairing and removing the damage done at the Black Tower. It had been nine months since the Last Battle, since Mazrim Taim had been killed by the Amyrlin Egwene al'Vere in a weave of fury - The Flame of Tar Valon the Aes Sedai had called it, and it left all she had channeled at crystallized. It still stung that he had not been able to retrieve that powerful male _angreal_ from the crystallized body of Taim. It would have been nice to start a collection of _angreal_, _sa'angreal_, and _ter'angreal_ that only the men could use. The stores that Taim had were gone. None of the remaining _Asha'man_ knew what had happened to Taim's personal stores, but it could be surmised that Taim had taken them with him for the Dreadlords to use; either that or he had hidden them, so that the remaining _Asha'man_ could not find them to use against him. They had scoured every inch of the Black Tower, and couldn't find anything. It made matters worse that the White Tower refused to release any of the items of Power to the men that a man could only use, and that they wanted the Black Tower to assist them in making a large gateway for the Seanchan. He would have to see what kind of bargain he could get for his men's service.

It had been arduous work cleaning out the Black Tower. Not just repairing all the damage that Taim had caused, but repairing the rifts in the men. The Tower had been scoured clean of every man who had been turned forcibly. They were now in custody of Stedding Sholoon, waiting for Nynaeve Sedai to see if there was something that could be done to heal them. She had been so close, with Evin; perhaps he would suggest a large circle with men included, for her to use. Logain was impressed with Nynaeve Sedai; she didn't act like one of the other Sisters, she was real and she seemed to genuinely care for his men. The Dragon had trusted her, and he decided that as long as she proved herself, he would trust her too. After all, she had been the one to heal him of his severing.

The air held the promise of autumn and cooler weather, but that wasn't what had the men's spirits high. They had worked hard to rebuild all that had been lost under Taim. All of the men that had been under Taim's control, the bully boys and Taim's favorites, were now gone. If they had been forcibly turned, they were in the Stedding. If they had gone over to the Shadow of their own will, they had been executed. There was no room for an _Asha'man_ to serve the Shadow. There was hope blooming in the hearts of the men who came to train; they knew that they would be treated fairly now, and rose to the next rank when they deserved it- not because they had become Taim's favorite.

A loud roar hit his ears, as he watched Taim's palace crumble under the power. There was no dust as it crumbled; three _Asha'man_ created a dome of air that kept all the debris and dust in. Another _Asha'man_ had woven Air and Earth, and wove a massive gust that caused the palace to collapse on itself. As soon as the house was completely crumbled, Androl Genhald had opened a massive Gateway under the debris; the gateway opened up in the middle of ocean. All of the rocks, every piece that hadn't been scavenged, were now at the bottom of the Aryth Ocean. Logain had ordered the palace destroyed so that no piece remained of Taim's rule over the men. He had hated living there, hated pretending to go along with what Taim had wanted. His men had suggested that he move into the palace when he became the M'hael, and he had refused. He would rather be with his men, live where they lived and sleep where they slept. It made for a better leader.

The houses that surrounded the village had taken on a new light as well. Housewives were cleaning out everything, while the older children and the servants put a fresh coat of whitewash on every wall. It was as if the entire village was trying to make a fresh start under Logain's rule.

"Tai'm'hael we're finished." Androl said, coming up beside him. The men had started calling him Tai'm'hael, which meant True Leader in the Old Tongue. Logain had named Androl his second in command, a move which no man had argued against. Androl might be weak in the power, but the men loved him and listened to him. He had helped hold the men together when everything was falling apart in the Black Tower.

"If I may ask Tai'm'hael, what do you plan on putting there in its place?" Androl asked.

"I don't know yet. I'm open to suggestions, though." He had thought about what to build in place of the large house Taim had built for himself. He had the secret rooms, where he had been held captive, filled in with rock and sealed with the Power. There was no way that he was going to build himself some lavish palace, like Taim had. That wasn't what a leader did; a leader led by example.

"Well, maybe a monument to the men who died for the Dragon Reborn, and one to the Dragon himself. It was his idea to unify us, after all." It was fitting, Logain thought. Build a monument to the Dragon Reborn, on the place where Taim had turned so many men to the Shadow.

"It's a good idea; I'll think it over and let you know what I decide." Logain said. "I'm going to head to my study and go over some paperwork."

Androl saluted, fist to heart, and went to go see to the rest of his duties. His duties were wide and varied, and included seeing to the training of the men. Logain would have to find someone that could train the men; Androl simply had too many duties, he couldn't continue with the training as well. The men had set out to learn the last lesson that the Dragon Reborn had wanted them to learn, that they were men, not weapons.

It was a lesson that was not coming easily to the Dedicated and the _Asha'man_. They had learned to destroy, and now they were attempting to learn how to heal, restore, and a way these lessons were even harder to learn; they made a man think about who he wished to be and study how to be it. It was much easier to just believe you were nothing but a weapon, and bury who you were. Now they had to dig out the remnants of themselves.

As Logain walked to the _Asha'man_ barracks, he saw a group of men walk in; over thirty men coming to see if they could learn to channel. In the days after the Last Battle recruitment had tripled. It was no longer seen as a curse to channel; it was an honor. Not many of the men that came to the Tower could channel, or learn to, but one in ten men could channel or learn to channel. Hundreds upon hundreds of men had come, from near and far, to see if they could join the _Asha'man_. Never in his life had he dreamed this would come to pass.

He walked along the Black Wall, which had been finished. The gates stood open at all times, now. The wall was something he had considered destroying, but Androl had suggested against it.

"These men would not take kindly to that. Without the Black Tower and the Wall, we would just look like any other village. This makes us stand out, tells people who we are from a mile away."

Androl had been right, but the black wall wasn't enough. The men needed a place where they could learn to heal, to build, to restore. It was easy enough to learn to destroy in a field; there were rocks everywhere that you could blow up with the Power. The men needed a place that they could gather to learn. The Aes Sedai had their White Tower; perhaps they should build their own Black Tower. They named it such; maybe it was time to build one of their own.

He continued on his way to his room; he wanted to be in the same barracks as his men, although they had not liked the idea. He wanted to know how his men lived, how they thought. If he lived in his own home, away from the _Asha'man_, he felt that it would put him above them and out of touch. Gabrelle had wanted him to move into a house, so that they could be together; she was not pleased that he had insisted that she remain in the houses for the Aes Sedai. He would have to do some about the Aes Sedai here. They had been asking to return to the White Tower, to help teach and rebuild; he couldn't refuse them that request.

He reached his rooms, at the top of the stairs. The only difference between his room and the other _Asha'man_'s rooms was that his had a small study attached. It was the only concession that he would allow. Taim had taken to many liberties to set himself above the others. True, he was their leader and his orders should be followed no matter what, but no man was the master of another.

In his old life, as a minor Lord, he had thought that he was better than his subjects. He had not treated them as kindly as he should; he had acted like a spoiled brat to be honest. When his lands and titles had been stripped of him, he had learned how far a man could fall. He had proclaimed himself the Dragon Reborn and been gentled for his efforts. He had run for his life, slept in haystacks, and learned what it meant to be despised. He sought to lead the _Asha'man_ the way that they should go, but how was he going to accomplish that?

The piles of petitions, repair requests, and reports was stacked high on the small desk in the corner of the room. His study sat on the eastern wing of the barracks, and had large windows on two of the walls. The only other furniture in the room was a simple chair at his desk, and a chair against the wall for an officer to use. The barracks had no fireplaces; every man knew that if he wanted to keep warm he would have to do so with the Power. Taim had made every man do everything with the Power. It had been a dangerous move, and had cost the lives of many good men. Logain didn't want to lessen the channeling, but maybe the men could use a break - use their hands instead of s_aidin_. Many men had been burned out from trying to channel too much, just to survive in the Black Tower. Those kinds of losses would not do for the new Black Tower. He was not building weapons, but training men to lead the world. The Aes Sedai had their White Tower, and claimed that they sought to guide and protect. Well, the Black Tower's role in the world was truly to protect, and now to rebuild.

He sat down, feeling strained; the task felt bigger than him sometimes. He wondered, not for the first time, if it really was that he felt like it was too much, or it was the lingering darkness from his weeks of torture. They had tried, and almost succeeded, in turning him. No one in living memory had survived that long, who knew what was left behind after that?

The first page in the pile was sealed in a blood red wax; the symbol on it was the Flame of Tar Valon. He knew what it was about before he even opened it. He cracked the seal with his fingernail, and began to read:

_Tai'm'hael Logain,_

_We have received word from the Seanchan Empress, and have sent our reply to them, agreeing to their terms. They agreed to most of them._

_The Seanchan have agreed that any male that can channel, and does not wish to die or put on the black collar and live life as a damane, may go to the Black Tower for training. We have no way of knowing if there will be anyone that will take up this offer, but I thought you should be made aware in case men from Seanchan start appearing._

_The Seanchan have denied the White Tower's request for one in twenty marath'damane to be released to us; this is something that we expected, but had to try nonetheless._

_Trade will be opened with the Seanchan; however Matrim Cauthon caught the slight that the Seanchan will not trade damane for coin or supplies. They might see damane as livestock, but they would not take it kindly for us to trade for their lives. _

_The Empress also agreed that she will allow the same number of damane, who wish to be freed, go as we return the former Sul'dam and damane that we have in the Tower. We will be returning ten Sul'dam and damane to the Empress, and she has agreed to allow ten women to be freed. We received the list, that the Warders brought back, and there are thirty damane that wish to be freed. To be honest, we were expecting the number to be much higher. We have narrowed the list to only those who are Aes Sedai. Sadly, that means that twenty women will remain in collars, but Matrim Cauthon has promised that he will try to see the rest freed. A scoundrel he might be, but if anyone can free those women, it will be him._

_We will be meeting the Seanchan in Remen in three days. I see no reason why a full circle should be needed; your Asha'man Androl Genhald can open a gateway a mile wide, or so I've been told. I've heard that he and Pevara Sedai are bonded, so if a circle is needed, I'm sure that the two of them can make one large enough. _

_The White Tower thanks you for your service,_

_Cadsuane Melaidhrin_

_Flame of Tar Valon_

_The Amyrlin Seat_

Logain wanted to rip up the piece of paper, and burn it to ash. That woman presumed too much; she never even _asked_ if he would be willing to put Androl in danger. The Seanchan had given their word that no channeler who aided them would be in danger of collaring, but Light knew if they could be trusted. The _Asha'man_ were not the White Tower's puppets to control; this would not do!

His anger seethed, and he had to fight to remain calm. It was harder to remember to remain calm now; he wondered if it was part of the treatment he had received. If the Aes Sedai wanted Androl, they would have to pay for it. He quickly penned his own reply.

_Amyrlin Cadsuane Melaidhrin,_

_My men are not yours to command. We would be happy to help make this gateway - for a price. You have in your possession angreal, sa'angreal, and ter'angreal that only a man may use. We request that you turn those over to the Black Tower for the Asha'man to study. The White Tower is more than welcome to come and study them with the Asha'man, but the items are to remain in the Black Tower. The world is changing; not every item of Power belongs to the White Tower. I will not be dissuaded in this. If you wish the use of my Asha'man, then you will hand over any male angreal, sa'angreal, and ter'angreal you have, for men, to the Black Tower._

_I await your reply,_

_Tai'm'hael Logain Ablar_

He sealed the letter with a black wax, pressing the seal with a dragon surrounding a tower on it. Making a small gateway, to the White Tower's traveling ground, he let the letter fall. He saw a hand, with a Great Serpent ring on it, pick up the letter immediately. The letter should be in Cadsuane's hand within the hour.

* * *

He sat there, for what seemed like hours, and tried to finish up the paperwork. He was finding it harder and harder to concentrate. He didn't care what the Amyrlin decided; if she didn't like his condition then she would have to make the Gateway herself. No, what was bothering him was the idea that he had had about a formal Black Tower. The men deserved to be looked on as equals with the Aes Sedai. True, the Aes Sedai had hundreds of years to study and perfect their weaves; the _Asha'man_ had only been around for a couple of years. Any man that could channel before that was stilled, and would die later. The world had changed though; the _Asha'man_ deserved to learn, to have the same opportunities that the Aes Sedai had.

The idea came to him in a stroke of genius. The men wanted a monument to those _Asha'man_ who had fallen in the Last Battle, and to the Dragon Reborn himself; Logain wanted a formal Black Tower for the men to have a place to study and learn. He could see it in his mind's eye- a Black Tower made of onyx, five hundred feet tall, and on the outside every inch of the Tower would be carved with the Prophecies of the Dragon. At the bottom of the Tower, the names of those who had fallen would be carved, starting with Rand al'Thor. He should make it six hundred feet high; the White Tower was six hundred feet tall, and completely Ogier built. He didn't want it to seem as if they were competing with the White Tower- no five hundred feet tall would be massive enough. He wondered if he could get the Ogier to help build it. His men could make the Tower, true, but the Ogier were a wonder with their carving tools. He started to pen his ideas, making notes on what he would like to see in the Tower; rooms to learn healing, rooms for building and architecture, rooms for the study of _saidin_ and looking into whatever histories could be found. There would be need of rooms to learn to defend and destroy, true, but that would not be the main premise of the Black Tower. He wanted a library, second only to Tar Valon itself. He wanted his men to learn, to realize what they could become. The barracks could be turned into something else; the men would be able to sleep in the Tower, once the quarters were done. He wondered if he should consider renaming the first ranks of _Asha'man_- the Soldiers. He didn't want to them to think of themselves as weapons any longer, but what could he name them? The White Tower called their girls Novices; maybe he should call his Trainees. He would have to ask the men; he didn't want to make this change on his own. The Aes Sedai had Ajahs, so that they could focus on the areas of the Power that they wished to career in. His men deserved the same thing; the ability to polish their weaves and focus on one trade. He would have to think carefully about crafting sections for the _Asha'man_ to go into. He had healers, builders, seekers of knowledge, and of course would need to have a combat section; there would always be men who wished to study the art of war and fighting, but he felt like there should be more for the men to choose. He hadn't felt this excited about anything for a long time.

A knock at the door brought him out of his fantasy. Soldier Elam Dowtry walked in with a note. Logain took the note, and returned the salute, barely noticing the soldier leave. He saw the familiar blood red wax and Flame of Tar Valon seal, and knew that it was a reply. Breaking off the seal, he began to read.

_Tai'm'hael Logain,_

_Your manners seem to be no better than the last time we talked. The White Tower is not accustomed to boys who seem to think that they can bully their way into what they want. But as we are in need of your Asha'man Androl, the Hall can see no other way around it. We will relinquish the items of the power that were made for men under this condition- we will have a sister come and stay with the items until you know what they are made for, and the White Tower feels comfortable knowing that you won't kill yourself using them. This is a concession that we will not yield on. You don't know what to do with any of the items of Power, and must be taught- be led in their use. In exchange you will allow Asha'man Androl to make as large of a Gateway as he can; if he needs to form a circle with more than Pevara Sedai, we will provide the additional Aes Sedai to bond with. We want as few channelers around the Seanchan as possible. We will have several Warders to bring the women who are to be freed across the border to Murandy. We will talk more about what Asha'man Androl will need to do in two days. I would ask that you and the Asha'man meet with us, at the White Tower, one day before we need to go to Remen to finalize plans. _

_Cadsuane Melaidhrin_

_Flame of Tar Valon_

_The Amyrlin Seat_

Logain held back a smile. He had expected a bigger argument from the Amyrlin; he never thought that he would get any _angreal, sa'angreal, _or_ter'angreal_ from the Tower without a massive fight. He added a notation to add a secure room to the new Black Tower, for any and all items of Power to be held. He also added a group to his list; he would need to know if any men could craft items of Power, he would need men to study the items and learn to use them. Perhaps he could find someone who could create angreal, like Elayne Sedai.


	9. Chapter 9: Free to Learn

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Another big thanks to kitkitmaria for editing this piece! You're amazing!_**

Chapter Nine: Free to Learn

Alivia stood patiently in the huge chamber, the Mistress of Novices Rosil standing at her side. The Mistress of Novices looked nervous, perhaps it was because she was standing next to Alivia. Most Aes Sedai were nervous around her; they had refused to believe that she was over four hundred years old, and refused to believe much else that she had told them about the Seanchan. Only recently did they start to believe her, for they had seen it for themselves.

She had Cadsuane to thank for being here. She was going to test for Accepted, and doing so irritated her slightly. She knew so much more about _Saidar_ then the Aes Sedai. They all thought they knew so much – well, perhaps they did. She knew plenty of weaves about destroying things, but she wanted to learn more. She had been successful in learning whatever weave she saw, only needing to see it done once to know how to do it again, but the Aes Sedai had refused to teach her anything- unless she become an initiate of the Tower.

It had taken many talks with Cadsuane Sedai, now the Amyrlin, to make the decision to become an initiate.

"I can't raise you to the shawl, Alivia. You are one the most powerful channelers in the world, as far as I know, but you still have so much to learn. I have no doubt that there is much we could learn from you as well, child, but the Aes Sedai will not take kindly to you attempting to learn without the proper measures in place." Cadsuane had told her.

She wanted to learn so badly. The Aes Sedai had so many incredible weaves; ones that she never would have thought would have been useful as a _damane_. Of course, she had never been allowed to think for herself in her old life.

She had been willing, reluctantly, to put on the white and become a novice, if it meant she could learn- even being treated like a child as the Aes Sedai treated the novices. Fortunately, the Mistress of Novices had decided to move her straight to the testing for Accepted. She was grateful for the fast promotion; she had had to sit through one Novice class, and she had been bored to tears. Going over and over again on how to embrace _Saidar_ had nearly driven her insane. She had been channeling for over three hundred and eighty years! She knew how to embrace the Source.

She saw four Aes Sedai; three sitting cross legged on the floor of the chamber, watching the three massive rounded silver arches. She could see the glow of _Saidar_ around the three women; one wore a green shawl, one a blue, and the last a yellow. The sister by the table, which held three large silver chalices filled with clear water, wore a red shawl. She had never seen any of these Aes Sedai before, but she wasn't very surprised at that, she had not been very far into the Tower at all the past few months.

She had been instructed on what would happen here, and waited for the commands to come from the Mistress of Novices. They started into the chamber.

"Two things I will tell you now that no woman hears until she is in this room. The first is this. Once you begin, you must continue to the end. Refuse to go on, and no matter your potential, you will be very kindly put out of the Tower with enough silver to support you for a year, and you will never be allowed back." The Mistress of Novices said, beginning the ceremony. Alivia had no intention of refusing to go on. She had to learn. "Second. To seek, to strive, is to know danger. You will know danger here. Some women have entered, and never come out. When the _ter'angreal_ was allowed to grow quiet, they were not there. And they were never seen again. If you will survive, you must be steadfast. If you falter or fail…" the pause made Alivia feel a rush of panic. She had not known that there was a possibility that she would not return; that she could die in this _ter'angreal_. It made no difference, though; she had to go on. They would not teach her any other way, and she had nowhere else to go. She had lived her worst fears; being a _damane_ was the worst thing that could be done to her, everything else was arbitrary. "This is your last chance, child. You may turn back now, and I will put your name in the novice book, and you will have only one mark against you. Twice more you will be allowed to come here, and only at the third refusal will you be put out of the Tower. It is no shame to refuse; many do. I couldn't do it my first two times here."

Alivia knew that there was no way that she could refuse to be tested. She had no desire to be a novice; she had already learned the most important lessons of the novices – to obey and the basics of _Saidar_. . She had to go on.

"I am ready" she said, pushing any fear to the back of her mind.

Rosil walked further into the chamber which held the massive silver arches, Alivia walking behind her. The red sister, at the table, spoke up as soon as they entered,

"Whom do you bring with you, Sister?"

"One who comes as a candidate for Acceptance, Sister." Rosil answered formally.

"Is she ready?"

"She is ready to leave behind what she was, and, passing through her fears, gain Acceptance."

"Does she know her fears?"

"She had never faced them, but now is willing."

Alivia almost spoke up at that. She had faced her fears, lived with them for over three hundred years, but she remained quiet as they completed their ceremony.

"Then let her face what she fears."

She quickly unbuttoned the white Novice dress, and slipped it off. She removed her shoes and stockings next, then folded her dress and stockings and placed them on her shoes. The ice cold stone, under her feet, sent goose bumps up and down her body. She stood, waiting for the next instruction.

"The first time is for what was." Rosil said, coming beside her, "The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."

She took a deep breath and walked through the arches.

* * *

She stood overlooking her home village of Halamak, wearing a yellow dress of plain cut. The warm wind blew across the plains, brining the familiar scents of home. She hadn't seen her home in… how many years had it been? Ten? Fifteen? She had managed to run from her _Sul'dam_, when she was killed in battle, only being freed by another _damane._ She had nowhere else to go, nowhere to hide. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she had seen her family; at least she should be safe in her home. The Seanchan had already harvested her village, they shouldn't return anytime soon. She started to walk down the path to her village. The scenery around her, the smells, all of it welcomed her home. To the far right corner, she could see the rice fields- almost ready to be harvested. She remembered helping to harvest them as a child so very long ago.

She reached the beginning of the row of huts that outlined her village. She could smell cooking rice, frying pork, and the smell of dung in the air. In a small village this size, everything was jumbled together; everyone lived in tight accommodations to make more room for the rice fields. It felt so good to be home, so safe.

She continued down the path worn by feet, to the hut she knew would be her family's hut. Her bare feet moved quietly in the dirt. Her mother, as always, had a small wreath of small periwinkle on the door in Alivia's favorite color- purple. It all looked as she had remembered it, like she had never left.

Pushing open the door, she saw her mother hunching over the small cook fire in the middle of the floor stirring a pot of what could only be rice. The small vent at the top of the hut let all the smoke out. The woman was wearing a dirty dress, torn and patched in several spots. It was hard to believe that this frail woman was her mother; she looked so old, so worn out. Where was her father, her sister Ievy? Surely at least Ievy should be here to help her mother cook the evening meal!

Her mother looked up, as Alivia walked in the door, and immediately cried out, putting her hands on her face as it went white. She rushed over to Alivia as fast as she could manage, and wrapped her frail arms around Alivia's waist.

"How did you escape?" her mother whispered, not letting go of Alivia.

"Shhh, it wasn't easy mother, but I'm home now."

"I never thought I would see you again! They came and took Ievy, about ten years ago. Your father died trying to get her back; he knew that I couldn't bear to lose another daughter." She began to sob into Alivia's dress. Suddenly her mother let go of her, and looked her up and down.

"We have to hide you. There is a Testing scheduled to happen today. The _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ will be here any minute to make all the women drink the tea. Every woman has to drink it now, no matter how old she is. They will find you for sure!" She grabbed Alivia's hand, and started pulling her out of the hut.

"Mother, I have to…"

"Well, what have we here? Have you found a _marath'damane_ for us already, Yerl?"

The silky voice made Alivia and her mother stop dead in their tracks. It wasn't a _Sul'dam_, as Alivia had feared, but the leader of the village, Namak. His oversized girth did little to stop him from moving fast as a viper. He quickly walked up to Alivia and her mother, the greed apparent on his eyes. He knew that he would be richly rewarded for ever _damane_ that was collared this day.

"You won't take her, Namak! You'll have to go through me first!" the frail woman lunged herself at Namak, eyes frantic and rabid. She had lost so much in the past years; she was not going to let her daughter be collared again.

"No! Mother! Stop!" _Saidar_ suddenly filled her, and she was prepared to weave fire at Numak, to save her mother from the knife that was suddenly in his hand. She tried to get a clean shot at Numak, but her mother was in the way, wrestling with him for control of the knife.

_"The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."_

She screamed in anger. A silver arch appeared on one of the huts to her right, calling to her; she knew she had to go through it. She couldn't leave her mother alone though. The Seanchan did not treat people kindly who hid _marath'damane_. Her mother would be turned over to the Ravens; tortured to make sure that there were no other _marath'damane_ hidden. She looked again, trying to find a clear shot at Numak, but her mother was like a wild cat; scratching, clawing, kicking, and biting the man. She had never remembered her being like this.

She had to go, leave her mother, and go into the arch. Tears blinded her eyes as she turned to the archway. She heard a scream, and turned back to see her mother's body laying on the ground, wet with the blood coming from the knife wound in her side. Rage filled her; she would kill Numak, make him pay for what he had just done. She turned back to face him, as he walked slowly towards her.

_"Be steadfast."_

She screamed in rage, looked at the body of her dying mother, and turned to walk into the silver arch.

* * *

The white light blinded her tear soaked eyes, as memory flooded her. Her mother? She hadn't seen her mother's face in over three hundred and eighty years! She hadn't been able to remember what her mother's face looked like, let alone her sister Ievy. She had tried, over and over again, as her many years passed on.

The Red sister raised one of the silver chalises high, and poured the cold water over Alivia's head.

"You are washed clean of what sin you may have done and to those done against you. You are washed clean of what crime you may have committed, and of those committed against you. You come to us washed clean and pure, in heart and soul."

Alivia continued to sob while the last drops of water fell on her head. How long had she wished to see her mother again, to remember her embrace? She had left her to die on the dirt packed streets, and her murderer to roam free. Could she ever be washed clean of that sin?

"You're doing well, Alivia. Coming back is doing well. Remember what your purpose is, why you wish to go on, and you will do well." Rosil said as she tried to lead her to the second arch. Alivia hesitated a moment.

"Are you refusing to go on to the next arch?" Rosil asked, "You know that if you refuse, you will be put out of the Tower."

She had held her mother; felt her for the first time in over three centuries. She had longed for it for so long, then had it cruelly ripped away in a senseless murder. Was this what these tests would do? Cause her unending pain and torment; watching those who she loved torn away from her? Could she face something like what she had just gone through again? But she wanted to learn, to be Aes Sedai; if she wanted to learn, she would have to go on.

"No, I'm coming." She replied, as she came to the second arch.

"The second time is for what is. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."

Alivia took a deep breath, and stepped into the unknown.

* * *

She blinked her eyes against the sunlight that shone down on the hill that she and Daor lay in. The day was perfect, not a cloud in the sky. His angled face had a two days worth of stubble on it, as she preferred, and his blue eyes starred into hers. She sighed as Daor kissed her wrist, breathing in her scent.

"So, now that you are an Aes Sedai and I have completed my training as a Warder, I was wondering when you would wish to bond me?" Daor asked

Alivia's breath caught in her throat, and she sat up on her elbows to look at him. The wind caught a strand of her hair, blowing it into her face. She ignored it as she continued to look at him. She had never thought that she would find someone that loved her, someone that cared for her so much. The age difference didn't seem to matter to Daor, he didn't care if she was four hundred and five years old, or twenty. He loved her, and wanted to be with her; that was all that mattered to him.

"You presume an awful lot, don't you Daor? I may not choose to bond a Warder at all. Did that ever occur to you?"

His laughter broke through the stillness, causing a flock of birds to scatter into the air above a nearby thicket. She loved the sound of his laugh; it was warm and inviting.

"Who ever heard of a Green not bonding a Warder?" his voice suddenly grew serious. "Marry me; bond me as your own. I love you, Alivia, and I don't want to live without you." His hands were gentle as he cupped her face and kissed her.

How long had she waited to hear those words, to feel his lips on hers? Her heart soared as he kissed her lightly. It was if the Creator was smiling on her; her heart soared at the joy she felt. She returned his kiss fervently.

"Yes," she said in-between kisses, "I'll bond you, and marry you."

The sound of horses running, hard and fast, interrupted their intimacy. Daor quickly released her and crawled to the edge of the hill, hissing in surprise.

"We've got a Seanchan patrol coming up fast it looks like; at least fifty soldiers and a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pair. We have to get you to safety."

Alivia felt a stab of panic at his words. She had not spent much time in this place to make a gateway; there was little hope of escaping that way! She had never seen the Aes Sedai Travel, so she had no idea how to do it. The look of horror must have been clear on her face.

"We won't let you be collared again." Daor said, squeezing her hand in assurance.

A shout from below told them that they had been seen, and they squad was coming up the hill quickly. Alivia ran through every weave she could remember, anything that would help them escape, and nothing came to mind. The soldiers were almost up the hill, and she saw the _Sul'dam_ point in their direction. The glow of _Saidar_ surrounded the _damane_ and the ground in front of Alivia and Daor exploded, sending them flying backwards.

She felt the blood gushing out of a cut in her head, and she regained consciousness. She got back to her wobbly feet and saw that Daor was on the opposite side of the hill, too far to reach him without exposing herself to the _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ The squad was at the top of the hill, carefully navigating their way around the torn up earth. The soldiers saw Daor; he was still having trouble getting back on his feet. Alivia embraced _Saidar_, and was preparing to throw a ball of fire into the soldiers when the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ noticed her. She felt a shield try to slip in-between her and _Saidar_; but her hold on _Saidar_ was too sure. She turned to throw the weave of fire at the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, but froze as a voice said,

_"The way will come but once. Be steadfast."_

A silver arch appeared at her right hand side, and she knew that she had to walk through it. She watched, in horror, as she saw Daor fighting a group of soldiers.

"Alivia, run!" he screamed as he was run through by five soldiers.

The _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ tried to put another shield on her, and almost succeeded in placing it on, but she was able to push it- holding onto _Saidar_. Without stopping, she ran into the silver arch, wishing that she could die with Daor the entire way.

* * *

Her anger and misery did not subside as the cold water from the second silver chalice was poured over her head.

"You are washed clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul."

Alivia barely noticed Rosil take her arm, and stand her up. Was this all she was going to face? Leaving those she loved to die, as she ran from the Seanchan?

"Tell me that wasn't real!" she demanded, as she stared at the arch.

"No one knows, child." Rosil said kindly. "It's always bad for every woman, and the third is worst of all. The _ter'angreal_ weaves traps for you from your own mind, giving you reasons to not return. You must want to be Aes Sedai more than anything, enough to face any fight and leave anything and anyone behind. The White Tower cannot accept anything less than everything from you."

Rosil stood in front of the third and final arch. Alivia stood beside her, dreading what was coming next. This was the worst one, Rosil had said. What could be worse then what she had just seen?

"The third time is for what will be. The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."

Alivia looked at the third arch, straightened her back and walked into the last test.

* * *

The ground around her was broken and torn; the gardens near the White Tower were in flames. Her once-fine dress, green and of Murundy cut, was tattered and torn. Her green shawl was long lost in the harsh winds. The skies around her were black, thick with clouds, and lightning fell out of the sky. As the lightning fell, it lit the scene around here; the White Tower was broken, torn apart by the hordes of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ on the _to'raken_. There were so many _to'raken_ in the sky, it was hard to tell what was clouds and what was _to'raken. _The Tower below showed signs of resistance, flames shooting from the broken areas. It was a lost cause; there were too many _Sul'dam_ and _damane _channeling at the White Tower.

"The Tower is lost, Alivia Sedai. We have to leave now!" she had felt Daor walk up to her, before he spoke, and felt his concern through the bond.

"Those are my sisters in there, Daor. I will not leave them to the fate of the _a'dam_."

A soft thud above her announced what she had feared would come. The resistance was so little in the White Tower that the Seanchan were landing to scour and collar every Aes Sedai. Daor grabbed her arm, and tried to drag her away from the Tower.

"I'm not going to watch you die a senseless death, Alivia, or worse- be collared. I swore to protect you when you bonded me, and that's what I'm going to do!"

"You also swore to obey me, Daor. I'm going in to see if I can help any Aes Sedai in there!"

Daor let go of her arm, reluctantly. He was a stubborn man, but he would obey her. He eased his sword in his sheath, and walked ahead of her, into the heart of the broken Tower.

The inside of the White Tower was rubble; the sounds of the fight above shook the lower parts, threatening to trap them. Daor and Avilia stalked up the broken flights of stairs, trying to find anyone that could be saved. They had found plenty of dead guards, servants, and initiates, but no one that she could save. She hadn't dared embrace _Saidar_; the very second she did, the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ would be on her. They had hid as several squads of soldiers and two pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ walked by. If they were walking with that large of squadron, looking for _marath'damane,_ then they must have hundreds of thousands up in the sky destroying the White Tower. She at first thought that it might just be a raid; to collar as many _marath'damane_ as possible. Now, she was sure that she had been wrong; this wasn't a raid, it was a full on assault. The Seanchan weren't going to stop until every last _marath'damane_ was either collared or dead. It was her worst nightmare in the flesh. Every friend that she had made in the Tower, dead or collared; it was better to be dead then face collaring again.

They rounded a corner, and froze as another squadron of fifty and two _Sul'dam_ with _damane_ walked past. One of the _damane _they were dragging and she was screaming as they walked. They were dragging Careena Sedai of the Blue Ajah, by the collar down the hall to where a _to'raken_ waited to carry them away. They obviously hadn't had time to remove her clothing and make her wear the grey dress. Alivia swallowed a lump in her throat. She could see if she could free Careena, but it would require her to kill the both _Sul'dam_, the demure _damane_ and the squad of fifty soldiers. She didn't know if she could do it all quickly enough, before another group of soldiers and _Sul'dam_ were on her. Tears began to sting her eyes, as she let them continue to the _to'raken_ and be taken away. She had to see if the Amyrlin was still alive. Maybe she could help Cadsuane get away.

Another fire blast hit the side of the Tower, and Alivia and Daor struggled to stay on their feet. The stairs behind them groaned, and parts of them broke off; leaving jagged pieces of stone. There was no retreating back now.

They continued to check down halls for any Aes Sedai, the Tower filling with smoke and dust from the explosions. It appeared that the Seanchan were going to level the White Tower after they had harvested as many _marath'damane_ as they could. She never saw anyone after Careena, but she heard the screams.

The screams burned into her ears; the cries for help, the helplessness, and the screams of training begun on the spot. She remembered those very cries. She knew what the sisters, the novices, and the accepted were feeling right then. Most _Sul'dam_ didn't start with a soft hand. She checked to make sure that her belt knife was ready, in case she was cornered. She would rather die than let herself be collared again. She couldn't trust that Daor would do it; he would fight to the death to save her.

"The way is clear." Daor whispered, and led her up the next flight of stairs.

They went up the next flight of stairs, to where the Amyrlin's study was located. She froze when they turned to face the doors; there was a hole, about ten feet wide, burned into the doors. Inside the waiting room, to the study, was pitch black- small fires still blazing. The room past the waiting room into the Amyrlin's study was burned as well. If the Amyrlin had been in there, there was no way that she had survived. She was about to turn and go back, and Daor grabbed her hand.

"Do you hear that?" Daor asked in a whisper so low, that she almost didn't hear him.

It took her a second, but she did hear it. It was a soft crying sound and it was coming from inside the Amyriln's waiting room. It seemed impossible that someone could survive the fire blast that caused all of that damage, but if someone was in there, she owed it to her to see if she could be saved.

Quickly making her way into the charred room, she quickly scanned the area, and saw nothing. The crying sound was still barely audible. Daor was looking on the other side of the room, by the Keeper's desk, when he found her.

"Over here!" he whispered loudly.

She ran over to see what he had found, and saw her. A girl, maybe nineteen years old, in an Accepted's dress sat on the floor crying softly. Her once blond hair was scorched, the ends breaking off into jagged sections. Amazingly, the girl herself was unhurt. As soon as she saw Alivia's ageless face, she cried out and dove into Alivia's arms.

"Oh, Aes Sedai, I'm so glad that you're here! The Amyrlin, they took the Amyrlin! They never saw me, but they took her!" the girl was sobbing hard, as she told her what Alivia needed to know.

"Shhh. It's alright now. Are you hurt?" she still didn't dare to embrace _Saidar_, unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I'm fine, but Natori was serving the Amyrlin, when the Seanchan blasted through the door. I didn't see her come out."

She must have been another Accepted, waiting on the Amyrlin when the assault began. She felt hopelessness start to rise in her. The Amyrlin was collared, the Tower in ruins, and she had only found one person alive and not surrounded by a _Sul'dam_.

Standing up, she tried to straighten what shreds of fabric remained on her dress.

"Daor, you stay with…" she looked to the Accepted for a name.

"Mara, Aes Sedai." She answered for her.

"Mara, you stay with Daor. I'm going to look inside the Amyrlin's study to see if Natori is still alive. If she's hurt, I should be able to heal her."

"I'm not going to leave you, Alivia…" he started to protest, but was silenced by the glare she turned on him.

"I'm not going to leave this child alone, and you and I both know that if Natori is alive she will need immediate help. Can you suddenly channel the weave of Healing?"

His angry stare grew calmer, and he bowed his head in acquiescence. Alivia walked up to him, and took his hand in hers. She would not show much more public affection then that, especially with the Accepted looking at them. He returned her squeeze, and stood to guard the burned out door.

The interior if the Amyrlin's study was dark and still smoldering in places. She had to hold her nose to keep from breathing in the smoke. A quick look around was all it took; she found the burned remains of a small human- it must be Natori. She walked over to the remains, and saw the Great Serpent ring on third finger of her left hand. It was the only thing that was distinguishable about the body. She felt angry tears start to roll down her face; so many women lost.

A scream from the anteroom brought her back to the present, and she ran to the hole where the doors had once been. In the anteroom, she stood in shock as she watched a group of five Seanchan soldiers fighting Daor, and a _Sul'dam_ was putting a collar on the shielded Mara. It must have been her shout that she had heard. The _Sul'dam_ hadn't seen her standing in the doorway, yet, and she summoned every ounce of _Saidar_ that she could hold. She would save at least one. The Seanchan would not get away with collaring every woman in the Tower. She would destroy them. Her anger lent her strength, and the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ standing off to the side finally noticed her. She poised to throw the weaves to severe the _damane_ from the True Source.

_"The way back will come but once. Be steadfast."_

Back in the burned out Amyrlin's study, a silver arch appeared to her right. She looked at it, and then looked back into the anteroom. The arch could wait. She had to save Mara and Daor. She _would_ save one!

She felt a shield attempt to latch on to her, but her anger seethed- securing her hold on _Saidar_. She was a flood of power. She was one of the most powerful Aes Sedai in the White Tower; more powerful then Nynaeve Sedai was. She would not be taken, and she would free Mara.

The _Sul'dam_ had finished putting the collar on Mara's neck, and she had forced Mara to her feet. The glow of _Saidar_ was surrounding Mara as well, and both_ damane_ were throwing shields at her.

"Shield her! Do you sense how strong she is? We must have her!"

Daor fought, in the back ground, having slain five of the guards, and more were pouring in. He needed her help!

A scream came from Daor, as one of the soldiers cut into his sword arm. He turned just for a second, to look at her, fear and pleading in his eyes.

"Run Alivia!"

The shields kept coming at her, and it was all she could do to stop them from taking hold. She had to do something to save Daor and Mara!

_"Be steadfast." _

The words drove into her like a sword to the heart, and she remembered what all of this was. It wasn't real; it was a test to see if she was worthy. Worthy to be what? A woman who constantly abandoned her friends and loved ones when they needed her? Was that what it meant to be Aes Sedai? She continued to brush off the weaves that were flying at her, trying to ward her from _Saidar_. Daor was still screaming for her, as he was cut down by the soldiers. She tried to weave, to kill those who were trying to hurt her, but she couldn't make anything form.

"I'm sorry Daor! I love you!" she screamed, through her tears, and ran towards the arch.

"No, Alivia, don't…" was the last sound she heard, as the white glow engulfed her.

* * *

She staggered, naked, through the last arch way and fell to her knees sobbing and shaking. How could she have let him die like that or let Mara be collared? How? Rosil knelt beside her, stroking her hair making soothing sounds.

"Why? Why would you do this to me?" her voice barely audible, as her body convulsed with sobs.

Rosil sighed, and continued to stroke her hair. "Child, nearly every woman says something very similar when she comes out. It is no effortless thing to be made to face your fears." She put a caring arm around Alivia's naked shoulder. "Come, now. You have paid the first price. Take what you have paid for." She stood Alivia up, and faced her towards the table.

The Amyrlin was there, as well as a member from every Ajah; everyone looking at her with sympathy. They had each had to face something similar at one time or another. Alivia tottered forward, wiping her eyes and knelt before the Amyrlin, who held the last chalice.

"You are washed clean of Alivia Aladon of Seanchan. You are washed clean of all ties that bind you to the world. You come to us washed clean, in heart and soul. You are Alivia Aladon, Accepted of the White Tower." Cadsuane said as she poured the contents of the last chalice over her head.

When the chalice was empty, Cadsuane handed it to one of the Aes Sedai behind her. She then helped Alivia stand up. "You are sealed to us now." She said, smiling warmly at Alivia.

Alivia couldn't help but smile back through her tears, as the Great Serpent ring was placed on the third finger of her right hand. She knew that she would be expected to choose an Ajah to study in the days to come, but she was at least free to learn. They had to teach her what she wanted to be taught, and she wanted to learn everything.

The warm towel across her back was soothing, as she dried off. She had always known that she would choose the Green Ajah. They were the Battle Ajah, and battle was what she knew. Her visions in the Arches had confirmed what she wanted to do. She would study, learn, and become a thorn to the Seanchan. If they ever decided to attack, she would do everything to protect the White Tower. This was her home now- she belonged here.

Another thought occurred to her; she would bond a man. She had seen the man in her visions before, in the practice yard. She had thought he was handsome, but never thought that someone would want to be with her in an intimate way. She had no way of knowing if the visions in the Arch were true, but if they were she might just have a relationship with a man.

"Was it real?" Alivia asked Rosil again, who was helping her dress in a seven striped banded white dress.

"No one knows, child. It feels real to every woman who goes in. Some women have reported that certain things they saw, while in the testing, came to pass. Others have had none of the things come true. We really don't know much about how it works, or why it works."

So there was a chance that some of the things could come true – or not. Hopefully not the part about the Seanchan destroying the Tower, but to be on the safe side she should make the Amyrlin aware. The only hope that she had was that she might bond Daor. She could feel the feelings that she had for him, feelings that had not been there before the testing.

"Go to your rooms and rest. Tonight is a night of fasting and contemplation for you. In the morning you can decide where you would like to take your studies." Rosil told her, leading her back to the double doors, and out of the chamber.

Tonight, she would contemplate what she had seen and done. Tomorrow, though, she would be free to finally start learning.

_I am completely aware that I made up Alivia's last name- there was nothing in the WoT world telling us what her last name was. So I really would appreciate no comments about her last name, unless you have proof (i.e. a line from a book) that states a different last name. Thank you!_


	10. Chapter 10: Wall of First Fires

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**I got some ideas from another author, and you can read her piece. Her user id, on Fanfiction, is ****8932775 and the piece is called "Healing". **** It's amazing, and you will really enjoy it. Thank you kitkitmaria for your edits on this piece! I appreciate you! **_

_Chapter Ten: Wall of First Fires_

Nynaeve tried shifting the dark blue silk one more time, before giving up. There was no way that she could make the dress fit comfortably; her bosom had started to swell, making the dress uncomfortably tight across her chest. She glanced in the large looking glass in her apartments in the White Tower, and sighed. She had wanted to look her best today, when she went back to Malkier to be reunited with Lan. She was nervous enough already; she had no idea how he would take the news that she was with child. Oh, she was sure that he would be excited, but he had talked about waiting to start a family until the City of Seven Towers was rebuilt - the capital of Malkier. How would he react now? Malkier needed an heir, especially now that most of the Borderlands had voluntarily associated their lands to Malkier.

It had started the day after Rand had sealed the bore, imprisoning the Dark One again. Nynaeve had not left Rand's side, or the body of the Elan Morin Tedronai. Lord Agelmar Jagad had come into the tent, where she and Lan watched over the men, and had told them that King Easar had died on the Heights. It was a glorious death for the King-so the man claimed, caught between by two Myrddraal he had killed one as the same Myrddraal had stabbed him, then killed the other Myrddraal as he lay dying. His son had died in the battle, as well, leaving no heir as his only daughter had died from a fever months back, and his granddaughter had disappeared and hadn't been heard from in months. That should have made Agelmar the next King, a point to which he had firmly refused. He had claimed that he was too old to take the throne, and after speaking with every house in Shienar, they had all agreed to pledge themselves to Lan and Malkier.

Lord Agelmar Jagad had pledged on bended knee for his countrymen, the lands, swords, and the honor of the Shienaran people. He had promised, choking back tears, that the people had been born Shienaran, but they would die in the Shienar province of Malkier, as Malkieri. It had been the first of nations to voluntarily associate themselves to Malkier.

After they had both been crowned, it hadn't taken long for Prince Kaisel of Kandor, to start negotiating his lands into Malkier. Arefel had been next; all three of the lands that had voluntarily associated to Malkier were in ruins. Saldaea had been the only one that hadn't moved to associate with Malkier; she assumed that was because Faile was queen now and would not give up her lands unless she had too.

She placed the simple crown of the queens of Malkier on her head and checked her appearance in the mirror again. She had put small clips with moonstones and sapphires in her hair. Her hair finally had grown long enough to put back into a proper braid again over the long months of the war, but not so long that she could rest it over her shoulder to tug. At least she could braid it again. She tugged at the bodice of her dress one more time; she would have to have new dresses commissioned, and soon. Smoothing her features, she put on her jeweled belt and her bracelet and rings _angreal._ She could not channel at all right now, unless she got angry, but it was soothing to know that she had the _angreal _with her at all times.

* * *

Her horse, a sleek grey mare, was waiting for her when she walked to the doors that led to the Traveling grounds. The servant she had given the order to must have ran to comply with her request. She hadn't come up with a name for the beautiful mare yet. It had been a coronation gift from Prince Kaisel. The groom helped her into the saddle without a word, and she was glad for the silence. She really didn't feel like talking.

The Traveling Grounds at the White Tower were always maintained by an Aes Sedai. Nynaeve walked her mare up to Varilin Sedai, who was on duty.

"I need a Gateway to Malkier, near the Seven Towers." Nynaeve said.

Surprisingly all Varilin did was nod her red head in acquiescence. Varilin had been one who had aligned herself to Romanda in the Hall, but after the Last Battle she had volunteered to step down from her position. She said that she had had enough trying to lead; she wanted to live a simple life now.

The Gateway flashed and opened on to a field overlooking the Seven Towers. Nynaeve barely recognized it from the last time she had seen the place. The last time she had seen this area, it had been black and spotted with the Blight disease. There had been yellow leaves on healthy looking trees that were thick with black spots. There had been vines that whipped out and grabbed at you, horrible creatures in pools of water-she shuddered at the memory. The image in the Gateway now, this was nothing like she could have pictured. Kicking her mare in the flanks, she walked through the Gateway and into Malkier.

The mare stepped into a hilltop meadow, covered in wildflowers with butterflies dancing about the tops of the petals. Nynaeve's breath caught in her throat as she looked around her. The Gateway winked out behind her, as she cleared the area, and she was alone in the field of flowers. It wasn't the beauty that shocked her; she had seen this exact place before, while she was tested for Accepted. This _exact _field, she was sure of it. Her mouth fell open, in awe, as she dismounted and stood looking around. Below the hill the necklace of the Thousand Lakes spread through the city of Malkier. The lakes reflected the Seven Towers, all with the Golden Crane banners flying bravely. She could see that the Towers weren't all completed, that would take more time, but one of them had been finished and thrust proudly against the sky. The camp below housed hundreds of thousands of tents all spread across the field. There was no hint of the Blight here as she had feared there might be. A shout at the base of the hill told her that she had been spotted, and she waited for the escort that would come. She had sent word earlier that week that she would arrive, so that they would not be taken off guard.

The escort didn't take long to gather, and within minutes a group of twenty men came riding up the hill, with Lan at their head. He looked more tired than she remembered, but that hard face smiled brightly at seeing her, lighting up his blue eyes. She longed to run to him, wrap her arms around his hard body, and never let go. She would have done so, if Prince Kaisel and Agelmar Jagad hadn't been riding up with Lan, along with their retinue. Lan heeled his horse to a gallop, leaving the group to follow. She noticed the others slowed their pace, letting them have a minute alone. She had to force herself to remain standing in place, while Lan rode up. She longed to be in his arms again.

As soon as Lan was near enough to her, he dismounted Mandarb and ran to her. Scooping her up in his arms, he kissed her. Nynaeve almost stopped him- they were in public and she led- but it had been so long since she had kissed him. After the long weeks of separation, while he marched to Tarwin's Gap, she had sworn that if she ever saw him again, they would never be separated for that long again. Two months was far too long. He continued to kiss her, when someone cleared their throat loudly announcing their arrival.

"I missed you my heart." Lan whispered into her ear.

"I couldn't tell." She murmured teasingly.

"Then I shall have to show you how much I missed you later." He whispered.

Heat rushed to Nynaeve's face immediately, and she tried to straighten her dress and hair as she pulled away from Lan's embrace. The fabric pulling tight against her swollen bosom made her wince, and made her face flush again. Being in Lan's arms had brought back the wonderful memory of her condition, and what she had come home to. She wished that they were alone right then; she would rather tell him in private about their child.

"Your Majesty." Lord Agelmar said bowing, hand on his sword hilt. "It's wonderful to see you again."

"We have so much to show and tell you your Highness!" Prince Kaisel said, bowing his head and placing his hand on his sword hilt as well.

"Welcome home, my love." Lan said, standing with his arm around her waist. "The women have been preparing a feast for you return."

Home. She was home, with Lan.

* * *

The retinue made their way through the maze of tents, and Nynaeve could barely contain her amazement. The Ogier from Stedding Sanshen had come, adding their experience to the rebuilding effort. Only one of the seven Towers had been completed, but work had started on the next three. The goal had been to repair Malkier first, then work out towards Fal Dara and the surrounding areas. The refugees from Shienar, Malkier, Kandor and Arefel were camped near the lakes which had been cleaned. The men had spent the first three months cleaning out the lakes and destroying every vile creature that had lived in the area. It had taken twenty men over a week to hunt down the last worm, and kill it. The men were still talking about that battle- apparently someone named Fen had lost a leg to the worm, as he killed it from the inside out. Now goats and sheep grazed safely on the hills, the land spotted with small farms. It hadn't taken long for every citizen of Malkier to come back, lending what they could to rebuild and reform the nation. The work had been difficult, but rewarding for the men. A group of Shienarans had asked to go and start rebuilding the capital, Fal Moran.

"I wanted to save the best for last, Nynaeve." Lan said, as he finished showing her the first of the repaired Towers. They would make the First Tower their home, the palace for the King of Malkier.

Night was falling fast across the Seven Towers, the setting sun reflecting off of the Thousand Lakes making it look like diamonds. Nynaeve was exhausted, being shown everything that was happening in their kingdom. The Ogier had done a masterful job restoring the stone work to the first Tower, their handiwork displayed in the elaborate carvings that were showcased on every doorpost and archway. Several women from Shienar and Kandor had started making the linens and curtains needed. Several weavers from Arefel had started making the carpets that would line the halls of the Tower. The Golden Crane in flight was on every piece, from carpets to the servant's livery.

The stables had been repaired, housing several fine specimens of horseflesh. It was clear that Malkier would soon be a force to reckon with on horse trading. A stable boy, dressed in grey livery with the Golden Crane in flight on the chest, walked her grey mare out to her, freshly brushed and fed. She doubted that she could walk anymore, not as tired as she was.

"Is it far?" she asked, trying to hide the exhaustion in her voice and hoping that she would soon be able to be alone with Lan. His whisper in the meadow hadn't left her mind.

"No, my love. We'll go see this last thing, and then the feast will start." Lan said

Her stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her that she had had nothing to eat since the morning meal.

Obviously Lan had heard her stomach as well, as a look of concern crossed his face. "This can wait until tomorrow, if you want. We can start the feast now. I know it's been a long day; I completely forgot about the noonday meal. I'm so sorry."

She almost said that she would rather not go for whatever this last thing was, but the look of longing in Lan's eyes changed her mind. It was obviously important, and she wanted to share everything that she could about the rebuilding of his Kingdom- their Kingdom.

"No, Lan, I can wait. I want to see what you have in store." She kicked her mare in the flanks, starting the procession forward. They still had Lord Agelmar, Prince Kaisel, the five Great Lords of Malkier and a dozen guards with them. She had to get used to being followed by a guard unit now that she was Queen.

She heard Lan chuckle at her, then spur Mandarb to a canter. She had no idea where they were going, so she let Lan take the lead. She was glad to see that the men that followed them followed at a pace so that they could have a few moments to talk by themselves.

"So what do you think so far?" she could hear the excitement in his voice, the longing that he had for her to be as excited as he was.

"Lan, it's amazing! You have done so much in the time that you've had!" it was really amazing what he had accomplished in nine months.

"Just wait until you see what I have in store for the Kingdoms!" his excitement was starting to bubble to the surface. He was normally so reserved, never letting his emotions show in public- this was rare!

"The Ogier have agreed to ask Stedding Mardoon, Sanshen, and Qichen to assist in the rebuilding efforts. The extra Ogier builders would mean that we could have the rest of the Towers finished very soon! Our next project is to start the rebuilding of Shienar, then Arefel and Kandor. The Monarchs are more than content to live in the finished Towers while we rebuild their own capitols. And this has finally been finished..." he pointed ahead of them to a twenty foot tall wall which went on for what seemed forever. She knew that the wall extended from the Aiel Waste all the way to the Banikhan Mountains near the Aryth Ocean. The wall, which had been crumbling for over forty years, was whole. Every mile there was a signal tower, complete with a signal pyre on top. Right now it sat unlit.

Her eyes began to tear up, seeing the completed wall.

"Defender of the Wall of First Fires." She murmured.

"It's a title that I have had since I was born, but now I can finally act upon it." He said, as he dismounted Mandarb. The following entourage had come up behind them quietly, dismounting and waiting for Lan to move forward. She dismounted her mare, with help from Lan, and walked with him to the door that led to the signal tower.

The door, at the base of the tower, opened to stairs that led up to the tower. They climbed the stairs, leaving the guards with the horses. The signal tower was manned by a graying Shienaran, his top knot grey and his eyes lined, but there was a deadly grace to him. There was no doubt that anything would get past him while he was on watch.

The signal tower felt crowded with Lan, Nynaeve, Lord Agelmar, Prince Kasiel and the guard in it.

"Come with me, I want you to see the first lighting of the torches. It's just a formality; they will be lit this once in celebration of the rebuilding, and then used later for their intended purpose." His eyes barely contained his excitement. She wanted to weep for him, he had waited so long for this never believing that it would ever happen- and now it was.

She took his hand, and followed him to the area outside the signal house. The sun was set, the moon starting to rise.

"Would you do the honor of lighting the fire, my Queen?" Lan asked, a smile forming on his hard face.

A moment of panic seized Nynaeve. There was no torch around to light to signal pyre, he must want her to channel to pyre alight! Frantically, she tried to embrace _Saidar_, and found nothing. To make matters worse, she couldn't usher even a little bit of anger to help. She strained, trying to fill herself with _Saidar_, but there was nothing there.

"Lan, I shouldn't." she said, trying to cover herself. It was the wrong place and time to tell him of their child, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings, so she continued. "You are the Defender, you should light it." Lan's face betrayed nothing, but she could tell that he didn't buy her excuse. She would have to explain later.

"Very well."

She watched as he walked back into the signal tower, and came back out with a piece of lit kindling.

"For forty seven years, the Blight had consumed Malkier; the Seven Towers lay in ruins and the Wall left to crumble. The Shadow was left to fester and destroy all hope that Malkier would ever live again. Today, we celebrate that the Blight has been removed, the Dark One re-imprisoned and Malkier lives." He dropped the piece of kindling onto the signal fire, and immediately the pyre burst into flames. As soon as the pyre was lit, she watched as the pyres to the east lit, one by one. She looked west and saw the same thing, the signal fires were all burning for the rebuilding of the wall, for the glory of Malkier. Lan watched, tears setting in his eyes unshed.

"Oh Lan." Was all that she could say as she held his hand, watching the rest of the signal fires continue to light, all to way down to the Aryth Ocean.

* * *

"To, al'Lan Mandragoran and el'Nynaeve Mandragoran, the great rulers of Malkier. May your reign be long, your children be many, your sword always sharp and you never cease to be a thorn in the Dark One's side. Today marks the day that we celebrate the rebuilding of this great nation. May we never fail to protect Malkier again." Lord Agelmar said, lifting his goblet of wine in the air in a salute. Everyone saluted back, and began the customary salutes and toasts to the King and Queen, as everyone ate. Nynaeve never drank the wine that was offered, but would act like she drank when the toasts were going around.

The feast was still in full swing, when Lan and Nynaeve decided to call it a night. She could barely stand up straight, and her eyes were having a hard time focusing.

"Let's get you up to bed, now, shall we?" Lan had whispered in her ear, and she was more than willing to comply.

As she had suspected, most of the men had drunk to much wine to really notice their leaving, which left the perfect time to make their escape, before another round of toasts started. Men never did know when to stop.

Their apartments in the first Tower were spacious and beautifully furnished. A large fire roared in the fireplace, taking the edge off of the cooler air. A massive four poster bed sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by golden bed curtains. The feather mattress was sheeted in white silk, and looked so inviting. She felt so nervous being here, which she chided herself for. This was Lan, her husband. There wasn't anything to be nervous about, was there? Surely he would be happy to hear that she was with child, even if the timing wasn't what they had planned.

She walked over to the bed, placing a hand on one of the four posters. She thought at first that the wood had been carved, but once she had touched it and actually looked at it, she realized that she was wrong. This bed had been sung by an Ogier. She had seen sung wood, but never this close! The detail was amazing, the way the wood curved so effortlessly as if the bed had just grown that way instead of being coaxed. How long had it taken? Her thoughts were quickly abandoned by the gentle kisses that Lan was placing on the back of her neck. She shivered slightly, as his hands gently worked the buttons in the back of her dress, little by little removing the gown. He would remove a button, and then lightly kiss where the new skin was exposed. Her breathing started to quicken, and she found it hard to just stand there and let him work his way down. A part of her wanted to rip off her dress and tear off his clothes. Two months had been way to long.

"What do you say that we start working on making that heir?" he whispered into her ear, sending a thrilling sensation down her spine.

At his words, she was brought back to the present. She had to tell him, before he noticed her larger breasts, and the slight bump that was starting to show in her abdomen.

"Lan, I have something that I need to tell you." Gathering her courage, she pushed the shoulders back up on her dress, and turned to face him. "I already am with child."

"Is that why you wouldn't light the signal pyre?" he asked, showing no hint of surprise.

"Well… yes… I can't channel at all right now. It should return in a few months." She couldn't help just looking at him. He didn't show any signs of surprise or shock. "Are you happy… about this?" she hated asking, but he was just looking at her showing no signs of… well anything!

For an answer, he swept her up in his arms, and kissed her passionately. He slowly began walking her back to the bed, his hands lifting her up onto the bed while kissing her. He started removing her dress again, kissing every part that he could. Nynaeve was starting to lose herself in the passion, the feeling, but she had to know.

"You never did answer my question." she said, breathlessly as he kissed the nape of her neck. Her hands were trying to remove his shirt, fumbling on the laces.

"I would think that this should be answer for you." He said, as he continued to nip and kiss her neck, ears, her collar bone. "But in case you need me to say the word, yes, I am more than happy about this. You have no idea how happy this makes me." He never stopped kissing her and moved his hands to remove her stockings; transferring his kisses to her legs. That was all she wanted to hear, as she lost herself in the passion between the two of them.

_I just wanted to clarify the timeline, on how I came up with Malkier being under the Blight for 47 years. I used the calendar at Seven Spokes dot com. and it states that Lan was born 953 N.E., and Malkier falls to the Blight in 955 N.E.. By the time The Gathering Storms comes around, it's 1000 N.E. and I added 2 years (give or take) for the rest of the books to happen, and the 9 month period after the Last Battle. Thank you for reading!_


	11. Chapter 11: To Sing Again

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**A special thank you to kitkitmaria for the grammar edits and Dean9909 for the WoT edits. **_

_Chapter Eleven: To Sing Again_

The gentle breeze blew the butterfly off of the new wildflower, sending it flying up into the surrounding area. The flower had not been there a moment ago, confusing the butterfly, but delighting it all in the same moment. The field that the butterfly had been flying over had changed drastically in the past few moments. Of course, the butterfly did not know how long a moment was. It had been flying over an empty field, the sun warm on its wings, and landed on a nearby branch to rest. It flapped its wings to warm itself, sun on overhead. Suddenly, the flower had appeared. Food! The butterfly was relieved and happy to find something to drink in the barren place. The butterfly flitted about, from new flower to new flower, barely noticing the pair of boots that walked by.

Pel Dacan walked through the newly sung field, feeling the warm sun on his back and radiating in the feeling of peace and freedom. He noticed a butterfly, blue with black markings on the wings, flitting about from flower to flower obviously enjoying the new feast set before him. Pel could only smile, stopping the song that he had been singing. It was a wonder to create things of beauty that established order in the world, not destroy. There had been so much destruction in his old life- before he had died.

The land down from Tremonsien had shown little recovery from the effect that the Dark One put on the world. Most places he didn't want to touch, preferring to allow the land to return to normal on its own. There were times that the land looked like it was particularly struggling and he felt like he should help it along in whatever way he could. He had stood, with Ogier and young Aiel men alike, singing fields back to life thousands of years ago before the Breaking. It felt like the least he could do for the world, now that he had been given a second chance at life.

It was not a chance that he had really hoped he would have. He had made plans, in the off-chance that somehow he could be saved from dying, but he hadn't been overly optimistic about it. Truth to tell, he wasn't sure how he and Moridin had switched bodies; he remembered being in his body when he exited Shayol Ghul, holding the body of Moridin. When he had awoken, he was in Moridin's body. Alivia had not been able to shed any light on the matter, and had been overly successful in 'helping him die' by getting him clothes and coins. Elayne, Aviendha, and Min had not known what happened either, but they had known that he was in Moridin's body, because of the bond. Perhaps it had something to do with the old woman in Aiel clothing that had met him outside of the entrance to Shayol Ghul.

Not that it mattered, nor the fact that he could no longer channel. He didn't need it. It seemed that after his death, he became a part of the Pattern itself. He was able to bend the Pattern to his needs. His needs were simple - to see and restore the world and heal what touches remained from the Dark One's touch.

He had been wandering the world, seeing what he could and healing what needed to be healed, for the past nine months. He wore unassuming clothes- a farmer's cloak, shirt, trousers and boots. He had cut his hair, which Moridin had worn long, into a cropped cut, and decided to grow a beard. Too many people had seen Moridin's face in the tent where they had lain after the Last Battle. He needed to try and make himself look as different as he could. The effect was one that no one would recognize- he hoped. Cadsuane had known who he really was, when he had left that fateful day - would others know too, if given the chance?

He started singing 'The Catcher in the Rye' again, never ceasing to be amazed as the ground would start erupting into fields of living, growing things as he sang. In the back of his head, he felt Aviendha grow closer. He would be at his destination soon, and then he could move on to the next place that needed to be healed.

He crested the hill and saw the Aiel camp below. Only half of the tents remained; the rest had been packed up and were on the move east, to the Three Fold Land. He could feel Aviendha down below, a beacon of resolve and strength. She was not with the caravan moving east yet. He stopped his song, not wanting to draw unwanted attention to himself. It would be so good to see Aviendha again, to have one person who knew who he really was.

As soon as he made his way to the camp, a red-haired Maiden intercepted him.

"Can I help you, wetlander?"

"I need to see the Wise One Aviendha, please." He had never seen this Aiel woman before. There were simply too many of them to know them all. He felt lucky that he hadn't run into someone he had known in his past life.

The Aiel maiden nodded her head, and started leading him through the shrinking maze of tents. He smiled to himself as he noticed Bair and Amys ordering some _gai'shain_ as they packed. It was good to see their faces again, even if they didn't know who he was. The maiden led him to a nondescript tent.

"Wait here while I see if she will see you, wetlander."

Pel couldn't help but smile. He knew that she would see him- she had felt him grow closer to her, but he would wait outside for permission to enter her shade

* * *

Amys had finished seeing to the packing of the Reyn Aiel tents. So far, all of the clans but the Taardad and Shaarad had packed and moved back into the Three Fold Land. The Taardad had claimed the honor of taking the first watch at Rhuidean, leaving the women, children, and the blacksmiths to go back to their septs. She herself had requested to stay with Aviendha in Rhuidean, instead of going back to Cold Rocks Hold. Elenar had been to Rhuidean twice now, finally becoming a Wise One. She could take over Amys' position. She couldn't find it within herself to go back, now with Rhuarc gone. The shade of her heart had been killed because he had been under compulsion by the _da'tsang._ Besides, Aviendha would need her help in the months to come as she became the Roofmistress to Rhuidean.

"The Reyn are on the move now." Bair said, coming up behind her, looking east to where the clan was on the march. All the clans had left the Three Fold Land to aid the _Car'a'carn._ Now they returned with renewed purpose, a purpose that would see them keep their honor. She had gone back to Rhuidean, into the glass columns. She had seen the future change from what Aviendha and Bair had seen.

The first time she had gone into the columns, she had been Haminda, Roofmistress of Rhuidean and Wise One. Her people lived in lands once called the Three Fold Land; the once desert was now lush and green and was a major food supplier of _zemai _and wheat to the rest of the lands still held by the Dragon's Peace. She had heard stories from her great great mother how the Aiel had had to kill one another for a bit of water. How strange that they should live like that, killing for water. The Aiel no longer killed out of necessity to survive, but out of _toh._ Her people were the instruments of peace, making the nations follow the Dragon's Peace. They had brought swift justice to the nations that dared to renege on the Dragon's Peace. Ninety nine years was a long time for the nations to remember that their great grandfathers had signed a promise to not wage war on another. Now the nations were signing a new treaty, a treaty that would last the next one hundred years. The lands had grown to realize that they needed each other. The lands were separated by four ruling factions: the Andorans, the Borderlanders, the Seanchan, and the Aiel. Many lands that had existed one hundred years ago, found it easier for their people to voluntarily associate themselves to their nearby monarchs. As such, Seanchan controlled the lands they had over one hundred years ago, and Shara. The Borderlands were ruled by the Malkieri Queen, the Andoran Queen ruled from Illian, to Tear and up through Arad Doman to the edge of the Aiel Harvest Lands. The Aiel were still peacekeepers, but were not needed as much, as most nations had associated themselves to others. She had watched as Haminda signed her name, for the Aiel people, agreeing to continue on as Peace Keepers for the next one hundred years.

She had been Lesile, maiden of the spear of the Two Spires sept of the Reyn Aiel. She had watched as the Aiel had swarmed over the Cliffs of Dawn, to put the Sharans under control. The county had been in civil war, channelers fighting amongst themselves as they tried to seize power. The Seanchan, the _Asha'man_, and the Aiel had brought peace forcibly to the Sharan channelers, and freed the people. The country was in chaos when the Aiel went in, spears raised and veils drawn. The people hadn't put up much of a fight, all too willing to surrender to anyone who could bring stability. The Seanchan had been more than willing to bring what the needed; the Raven Empress had taken control immediately and brought restoration and order. Her great mother had told stories of how the Seanchan had used to be monsters, chaining their channelers, making them like dogs. Lesile had a hard time believing it, the Seanchan were formidable fighters- their channelers the best at war and destruction- and they were revered and honored among their people. The Wise Ones had trained many of the Seanchan channelers in the way of _ji'e'toh_, teaching them that to channel was about bringing honor to your lands, not for personal gain. The Wise Ones had also been asked by the Raven Empress to bind the Seanchan channelers with the Binding Rod, so that any channeler that wanted to serve the Empire would not be able to use their weaves against the Empire. The Wise Ones had agreed after most of the channelers had asked to be bound to the Seanchan Empire and the Raven Empress. How one met their _toh_ was not up to the Wise Ones, but to the individual.

She had been Shyla, Wise One of the Black Water of the Nakai Aiel. She had cast a vote that sent the spears to destroy what was left of the Shaido Aiel They had come against Rhuidean, trying to claim it for their own. The Wise Ones had tried to talk the Shaido warriors out of their decision, but they would not be dissuaded. There had been many channelers caught, and a _ter'angreal_ that the channeler named Lina had called a binding rod. She claimed that it was like the Oath Rod the White Tower had. Those channelers and Wise Ones had been named _da'tsang_ until they had earned their honor back. It had been a night of mourning the dead, those brothers who had lost their way and lost all _ji. _It had had to be done, for the peace of Rhuidean and the Harvest Lands. She still remembered when the black haired stranger had walked through the land, with a group of Ogier and _Asha'man_, singing. As he and the Ogier sang, the Three Fold Land had begun to change. The sands started to shift, pushing down into the earth and releasing dirt up. Blades of grass began to grow in the new dirt- waves of grass. The skies above began to darken, as the clouds grew heavy with rain. As the black haired man and Ogier continued to sing, the _Asha'man_ begun to channel, causing the sound of the singing to travel into the ground -making the earth buzz slightly. The clouds above started to let their drops of rain fall, and within minutes the entire area around her, and over a ten mile radius around, was green and lush. The rain fell in steady drops, as the dry earth soaked it up. Never in her life had she seen such a thing. The once Three Fold Land was now a lush harvest land, perfect for crops.

Amys could remember every detail of the lives to come- her future kin. She had told all of the details to the other Wise Ones. They had all agreed that the changing of the Three Fold Land would be a miracle, and would look earnestly for it to happen. She only hoped that she could live long enough to witness it with her own eyes.

"Did you hear me, Amys?" Bair asked, and Amys was brought back to the present. She had heard her, but the sight of the marching Reyn Aiel had caused her reflection on what she had seen.

"I am sorry, Bair. I did hear you. I was just watching the Reyn clan march, and thinking on what I had seen in Rhuidean. So much has changed, and will change."

"For the better, I should say." Bair replied, while watching a _gai'shain_ start to roll up another tent.

"Put that on the wagon, when you are done, Temara." Amys said, freezing when she looked up.

Across the length of tents, she saw him; she would know his face anywhere. The black hair and black beard- it was the man who sang with the Ogier and _Asha'man_ in her vision! He was being led by Nola, maiden of the Bitter Water sept of the Taardad Aiel. As he walked past, he looked up and caught her eye; she had to strengthen her legs to keep from collapsing. She had been _Far Dareis Mai,_ not some weak wetlander, but those eyes! The _Car'a'carn_ had had eyes like that, especially towards the end of his life. Eyes that looked into your very soul seeing past who you tried to portray to see the real you. Eyes that held the knowledge of a thousand lifetimes, but so kind that it made you want to weep. This man, he could not be who she thought he was, for the _Car'a'carn_ was dead- wasn't he? Suddenly she wasn't so sure. She watched as Nora led the man to Aviendha's tent, and suddenly she knew.

"Are you alright, Amys? You look as if you have just seen a ghost." Bair said, seeing Amys stare off towards Aviendha's tent.

"I think I have, Bair." She replied, and proceeded to tell Bair everything that she had seen and suspected.

* * *

"Quadruplets?" Pel sat on the floor of the tent, a glass of wine in his hand, staring at Aviendha pole axed.

She had felt him coming, knew that he was coming to see her, and had to tell him. It had only been a few days since she had found out herself, and she was still in shock. As always, Hessalam sat in the corner, waiting for her mistress' instructions. It hadn't taken long for her to tell Pel about all the recent developments of the Aiel. He was pleased that they would be moving to Rhuidean, he had left instructions with some of the Aiel there to ask the Ogier for help rebuilding the city. That would make her job so much easier in the long run.

"There are four babes, two girls and two boys. Monaelle said that she felt the spark to channel in two of them."

It was hard to look at the face that Pel wore now, it was not as handsome as the face she had fallen in love with, but the soul was the same. When he looked at her, she could see the old Rand behind those eyes- they radiated love, warmth, and passion in those eyes.

"Light! This changes things, Aviendha. It was bad enough leaving Elayne with the twins; I didn't even know she was pregnant with them until the Last Battle! I can't leave knowing this!" It was moments like this that reminded her of the Rand she had fallen in love with. In those moments, she could look past the black hair and beard, look past the blue eyes, and see Rand. It was also in these moments, where he assumed the weight of responsibility that wasn't his, that she was reminded of who she was with him.

"And how would you explain your appearance to the other Wise Ones? Do you forget that Amys will be with me in Rhuidean? They know that the father of my children is a man named Pel Dacan, but I have told them nothing else. What questions do you think they would have if you stayed with me? Besides, you have important things to be about. What was it you said about healing the land?"

"That can wait, Aviendha, and I don't care what the other Wise Ones think. I wasn't able to be there for Elayne, I want to be there for you!"

Could he not see the dishonor he was showing her, by insinuating that Elayne could handle having the twins by herself, but she couldn't hand having four of them by herself? What did he expect, to sit in the birthing tent with her? That was unheard of!

"Pel Dacan, do you think I'm weak?"

"What? No! I never said any…"

"Then why do you insist on treating me like I am a weak wetlander, needing to be coddled and treated like some infant!" she interrupted, "My first sister Elayne had her babes without your help, and I will do the same. What do you expect, to be in the birthing tent with me?"

"Well maybe not _in_ the tent, but outside of it- in case you needed me." The look on his face was so similar to the sheepish way the he used to look, she wanted to kiss him. If Hessalam hadn't been in the tent, she would have.

"You will not be anywhere near my birthing tent. You will be in Andor, like you told me. We will talk nothing more about this ridiculous idea of you staying with me. You have other things to be about. Now, tell me about your plans for the Ogier and the _Asha'man_."

She watched as he sighed, and drank the goblet of wine. She could see that he knew there was no use arguing with her. To the side, Hessalam waited for Pel to finish his goblet, and then rushed to refill it. She would not say anything about this conversation to anyone; she had been commanded not to and would obey Aviendha to the death.

"There is so much that was lost when I was Lews Therin. So much knowledge lost during the Breaking. I never thought that I would get a second chance to correct that gap in knowledge. "

Aviendha motioned for Hessalam to bring the small platter of fruits and vegetables to them, and continued to listen intently.

"That's why I wanted to come to see you first. Rhuidean has a stock of _angreal, sa'angreal, _and_ ter'angreal_ that a man can use. I want those sent to Logain, for the men to use. I may have to break my rule, and talk with Logain myself, and discuss the training of the men. I doubt that many of them know how to read an _angreal_, let alone make one. I may not be able to channel any longer, but I remember the weaves needed. I can teach the men. I wish to teach some of the men to sing, as well. The land could be a lush paradise once again, if I could teach them. From there, I want to go to Cairhien and work with the libraries to put this knowledge in my head to use. Eventually, I want to speak with the Ogier and talk with them about singing. Loial is the only one that I know of that has the talent for singing to the trees, but I'm sure more Ogier do as well. Together I hope that the Ogier, _Asha'man_, and I can start to rebuild the land."

It sounded like a paradise in truth. Restore the lands, and rebuild another Age of Legends? He had always said that he wanted to repair what he had originally destroyed.

"You said that you can teach singing of the lands, but you can't channel. I thought that you couldn't sing and grow the lands, unless you could channel." This really was a mystery and a wonder. She had heard how the Aiel had once stood with Ogier and sang fields to life. Maybe they would be able to fulfill that _toh_ again.

"Singing isn't a thing of the One Power. It is a talent, a way to sing to the earth itself, and coax things to grow. If a channeler channels while someone is singing, then the talent can be magnified, and spread throughout the region. Ogier can't channel, but can sing to things and make them grow. It's really no different."

She had always thought that the Ogier could make things grow, by singing, because they were not of this world; their unique design making it so that they had a special connection to the earth. She had never really attributed it to a talent.

"Are you sure that you won't let me stay with you, and be with you while the babes are born?" he looked so innocent and pleading.

"You will not dishonor me like this, Pel Dacan. You have important work to be about, as do I, and I will not have you disrupting it. Now, I want to hear more about your plans."

* * *

Night had fallen when Pel finally left her tent. He had spent most of the day talking about his plans for the world, and there was hope to his speech. He knew that the weight of the world was no longer on his shoulders, the world would live if he wasn't able to share the knowledge he alone knew. He was a part of the Pattern now, and could bend his will to make the Pattern do what he wanted. It had been amazing to just sit and listen to him talk. She had never really been able to do that; they had always been in a rush to go and move on. Even when she had bedded him, when she had gotten pregnant, she had only been able to spend a few days with him and there hadn't been much talking done then.

She stood watching him walk into the night, completely unobserved. He had insisted on leaving right then, not wanting to stay the night and raise questions. He had said that he could bend the Pattern and move from point to point, just like Travelling, , but he only did that in rare occurrences, so it would be easier to visit her in the future

She stood at her tent flap watching as the night consumed Pel. . She was getting better at standing unaided, using a couple of walking sticks to balance herself. Nynaeve had told her that she should be able to walk unaided eventually, but never to run or fight. As long as she could learn to walk on her own, the rest didn't bother her- too much. He had promised to visit her in Rhuidean after the babes were born. She hoped that he would, too. She would have a lot of work to do, gathering all the _angreal, sa'angreal, _and_ ter'angreal_ for men to use. She would have to wait until her ability to channel came back so she could read the items. She was sure that there would be several items for the men to use.

She heard a slight rustle to her left, and turned to see Amys and Bair walking up.

"I see you Amys, Bair." She said in greeting. Her heart beat a little faster at seeing them so late. Had they seen Pel, and if so what were they thinking?

"I see you, Aviendha." Amys and Bair said together.

"May we come in?" Bair asked, and Aviendha's fear grew suddenly. She could tell that they had questions, questions that she might not be able to answer.

"You are welcome to my water and shade, Amys and Bair, but the hour is late. I am afraid that I will not be able to stay with you long, I need my sleep."

"Oh, we won't be long, we just wanted to ask you about the man who came to your tent, the _Car'a'carn_." Amys eyes lit up at saying that, and Aviendha groaned. There was no way that she could, or would, lie to these women. She had been able to save her honor by telling them the truth about the babes, but not expanding on that truth. It seemed that they knew more than they should, and would start asking questions that would require an honest answer.

She motioned them to enter the tent and hobbled after them. Hessalam brought water to the three of them, as they sat on the floor.

"Amys, please weave a ward against eavesdropping. What I'm about to tell you cannot be repeated."


	12. Chapter 12: Cairhien

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_A special thank you to kitkitmaria for the grammar edits and Dean9909 for the WoT edits._**

Chapter Twelve: Cairhien

The Royal Library of Cairhien sat untouched by the Last Battle. Hundreds of thousands of books sat organized by author and subject, cared for by skilled librarians. The gracefully fluted columns stood tall, supporting a high-domed ceiling. The high and narrow windows let the natural light spill into the massive reading area, making the glass-covered candles unnecessary at this time of day. It was here that Loial, son of Arent son of Halan sat, engrossed in a book, "_Commentary on the Dragon"_ by Sajius. It was so fascinating to read the prophecies, now that they had been fulfilled, to see where people had drawn the wrong conclusion and see how it had actually worked out.

He had arrived in Cairhien after three days of travel, and had been immediately invited to stay in the Sun Palace by Moiraine Sedai. It was hard to leave Erith at all, but especially hard in her condition. She had at least ten months left in gestation, and he hoped that he would be able to soon be on his way home to her. How odd that he should long to be in the Stedding with her, when he had run from them for so long.

The book he had written, "_The Dragon Reborn_" was being reviewed by the head Librarian, Jayl Owion. Loial was so nervous that he had a hard time from keeping his ears from twitching. This was his life's work, what if the humans didn't like it? He could always publish it himself, printing it on fine stiff paper, and have copies distributed to the Great Libraries, but that would take time he didn't want to waste. Perhaps he was getting hasty, but the world needed to know and remember the sacrifice that Rand al'Thor had made. The sooner they were reminded the better. It was in his years of experience that people tended to forget how painful something was the longer time went on. Humans had very short memories and would soon forget the life of Rand al'Thor, just putting him on some pedestal- never thinking of the man he had been. He owed too much to his friend for that to happen.

"Master Loial?" came the voice from a meek man. Loial stood quickly, and faced him. The clerk was shorter than normal men, with his forehead shaved and powered in the Cairhienen soldiers' fashion. "Head Librarian Owion will see you now."

"Ah, excellent." Loial said, trying to keep his booming voice to a whisper. The attempt at keeping his voice down didn't work well in the domed room. His whisper carried across the room, and up to the second floor where the clerks' offices were.

The clerk gave a wince at the loud sound, and ushered Loial to follow him to the second floor. . Loial had barely noticed the floors when he first had arrived, but took the time to see them now. Dark mahogany hardwood, with hints of rose, the floor had been polished until it glowed. The effect was magnificent. The sun shone brightly through the high windows, and down onto the polished floors, making the light bounce up into the room. It pained him to see wood used in this way, but he had to admit that it was at least cared for and splendidly used.

Though there were fewer books located on the second floor, it was no less majesty in beauty. The space was taken up by rooms sectioned off for the librarians to work. It was at one of these rooms with an immaculately carved door that the clerk knocked at. At a stiff "Come in", Loial was admitted into the Head Librarians' office.

The Head Librarian was a stern looking man, with small birdlike eyes in an all-too pudgy face. The effect looked even odder with his forehead shaved and powdered. His fat hands held the last page of Loial's book with reverence. At least he knew how to treat books properly.

"Please sit down, Loial, son of Arent son of Halan. I've just finished reading your book, and I would like to talk to you about it." He pointed to a small chair sitting across from his desk. Loial eyed it suspiciously; he doubted that it would hold his weight, so he sat down as carefully as he could.

"Now tell me, did you know the Dragon Reborn personally?" he asked, as soon as Loial was seated.

"Yes, I did. Rand al'Thor as well as Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara. They are my friends."

"So you saw most of these battles yourself?" Jayl prodded.

"Some of them, the rest I got firsthand accounts from the people who were actually there. They either saw what happened, or fought the battle themselves." Loial could barely keep his balance in the chair; it was so tight and small. He felt like an adult human must feel trying to sit in a chair the size for a human child.

"What of the account at Shayol Ghul? You write that it was only Dragon Reborn, el'Nynaeve Mandragoran, and Moiraine Domodred. You weren't there, so how do you know for sure what happened there?"

"I asked Nynaeve Sedai and Moiraine Sedai. My notes were quite thorough, I can assure you."

"That's what I was hoping to hear. Many people have been writing their own version of what happened, but they didn't know the key characters- or they make something up about them." The small beady eyes held a ferocious light to them. "You're staying at the Sun Palace? I'll have one my clerks come with the contract for you to sign, so we can print this epic book." He extended his hand to Loial, and Loial shock it gently. He had never told the man that he was staying at the Sun Palace. Daes Dae'mar was obviously to play in this. Jayl must have heard that Loial had received a personal invitation to stay at the Sun Palace by Moiraine herself, and so must be an important Ogier. Humans never ceased to amaze him. He would have to make sure that the contract was iron clad so that no one would change the wording of his book. He would have to ask Moiraine or Thom to look it over; they would see things that he missed.

"Thank you Head Librarian Jayl Owion. I look forward to working with you, and getting this printed so that the masses can remember the Lord Dragon." He would have gone on, but he could see that Jayl had lost interest in talking with him, so he decided not to push his luck. He carefully stood up and made his way to the door.

The clerk who had led him up to the Head Librarian's office was waiting outside of the door to escort Loial downstairs. No doubt he had been eavesdropping. Daes Dae'mar was everywhere in this city; Loial would have to watch what he said and did lest he start a political war like Rand did when he had first come to Cairhien.

"I think I'll stay awhile and read, if you don't mind." Loial said to the clerk, wanting to sit back down and finish the book he had started earlier. The clerk nodded his head, and left Loial to sit and read. He had no other plans, at the moment. As much as he enjoyed talking with Moiraine Sedai and Thom Merrilin, they were busy at the moment with matters of state. He would rather stay in the Great Library and read anyway.

He was almost finished with "_Commentary on the Dragon", _and had a whole notebook filled with quotes and comments. It was fascinating to cross check what had happened during the Last Battle and the time leading up to it with what the authors supposed would happen.

"Is it finished, Loial?" the deep voice asked, and Loial jumped in surprise. Humans very rarely snuck up on him; he must have been deeply engrossed in his book.

The man who had spoken was not who Loial was expecting. A tall man with short black hair and a black beard stood by his chair, looking at him. His clothing was plain, but of a good cut, and his boots travel worn but clean. There was something about this man; Loial felt he should know him from somewhere.

"I'm sorry, were you waiting for "_Commentary on the Dragon"?_ I'm almost finished, and I'll be more than happy to walk it over to where you are sitting, when I'm done."

The man laughed a deep laugh that filled the whole library with the rich sound. Once again, Loial felt that he should know that laugh, but he couldn't make the memory come to him.

"No, Loial, that's not what I'm talking about. Is _your_ book done? The one you've been working on for the past couple of years."

Suddenly the impossibility of it all came crashing on Loial, and he about leapt out of his chair in surprise. He dropped the book on the floor. The face wasn't right, but the eyes, laugh, and speech… this was Rand!

"Rand?" Loial asked, in a low whisper.

"No, Loial, my name is Pel Dacan. Come, I have much I need to talk to you about, and I wish to do it somewhere more private."

Whatever this man called himself he had been once Rand al'Thor, Loial was sure of it. For once, Loial didn't bother to pick up the book he had dropped and return it to the clerks to be shelved. He walked out of the Great Library and followed Pel.

* * *

Talmanes Delovinde sat at an inn, The Defender of the Dragonwall, sipping a goblet of the finest Murandian red wine the inn had. He had come back to Cairhien to settle some issues with the lands he oversaw. It was hard to be back in his home country, after spending the past years with Matrim Cauthon and the Band of the Red Hand. He honestly didn't even want to be back here, his overseer could take care of these matters in his stead. Mat was about to go to Seanchan and fight for the Crystal Throne for the Empress. He wanted to be by his side, as did everymember of the Band of the Red Hand.

Over three quarters of the Band were in Andor, helping Elayne keep the peace during the rebuilding, and were being led by Alhandrin during Talmanes' absence. He supposed that he should make his way back to Andor and take command, but he had seen enough of Andor to last a lifetime. Dragging the Dragons out of the bloody burning city while cuts from Thakan'dar blades slowly killed him had destroyed any desire he had of wanting to return to that area of the map.

It was his turn to bet in the card game called Kings. Having only a pair of twos, he folded and listened to the rest of the conversation. A pretty, voluptuous serving girl replaced his goblet of wine with another. He tipped her a silver mark and admired her as she walked away. He liked a woman with curves.

"I heard," said a pointy nosed minor lord named Cye, "that Tar Valon has agreed to do the Seanchan Empress' bidding in agreement that that Seanchan won't collar them."

"That's not what I heard!" said the man on Talmanes' right who was called Hiir, "I heard that the White Tower has finally gotten the Empress to release all those _damane_ to the White Tower in exchange for the White Tower's help!"

"Please!" said a man named Koep, "Do you think that the Seanchan would really unleash those _damane_! I mean, they are a force to be reckoned with! I wouldn't mind having a few of them myself, in case I ever got into a territory dispute."

"Like we can even have a 'dispute' anymore. The Dragon's Peace forbids it, or we'll have those black eyed Aiel on our doorsteps so fast, you won't be able to blink." Hiir said.

"Bloody Aiel." Koep said "My gold's on the Seanchan. I say let them leash those witches, and save us all a lot of trouble."

"I don't know about that." Talmanes said. He was getting quite tired of people taking about the Aes Sedai. If it hadn't been for one of them, he would be dead. "I owe a lot to the Aes Sedai, and so do you all. Two of them fought with the Dragon Reborn at the Last Battle, and one of them saved my life once." He really wanted to hit Koep right in the mouth at that moment.

"Rumors! We all know that the Aes Sedai would never let the Dragon Reborn off of their leash to fight the way he was supposed to! It's the White Tower's plot to make us believe that they are the good ones. I say they are all a bunch of sneaky serpents." Koep said.

"Not all of them, certainly some of them are, but not all." Talmanes said. If Koep kept opening up his mouth, he was going to punch the man.

"Say, aren't you friends with the Prince, the one who is married to the Empress?" Cye asked changing the subject and looking right at Talmanes.

He should have known that they might guess who he was. He had heard rumors in the street about a man who had gotten cut to shreds by a Myrddraal's blades, and lived to kill the Myrddraal. Not only lived to kill one, but two. Although according to the rumors, Talmanes' skin should be an ash colored black from the poison. He had actually laughed when he had heard that rumor. Close enough to the truth, but just off enough. Light, soon he would be as famous as bloody Matrim Cauthon. At least maybe it would mean he would have a better chance of bedding Lord Bertome's daughter. She was a fine looking wench.

"Rumors- nothing more, trust me; if I knew a Prince do you think I would be here playing cards with all of you?"

The men chuckled as Cye collected his winnings. It was Talmanes' turn to shuffle the deck and deal. The serving girl brought him another goblet of wine. He hadn't realized that he had finished the last one she had brought. He tipped her a silver penny, and watched her sway back to the other tables.

"Besides, you can't trust what you hear on the streets these days. I heard that there was a man who was cut to shreds by a Myrddraal, and lived to kill the bloody thing. Then when the second Myrddraal came, he laughed at the creature as its deadly blade cut right across his cheek. Killed the Myrddraal right there I hear." All eyes were staring right at the scar on his cheek. Most men had some sort of scar when you were a soldier, but not many men had a scar like this and talked about it. Well maybe it would help his chances with Rosela, Lord Bertome's daughter.

He had dealt the cards, but was the only one actually looking at them. He looked up from his cards and saw all three men still staring at him.

"So, it's really true? You killed two Myrddraal after they cut you with their Thakan'dar blades? How did you survive? Cye asked reverently.

"Who says I survived anything?" The look of shock on the men's faces was too much. He was having too much fun with this. And people said he had no sense of humor!

"Are you going to play, or forfeit everything to me?" He asked, suddenly feeling a little light headed. Maybe he had drunk too much wine.

"I think I should be going." Said Hiir, and was quickly followed by Cye and the other lordlings. They gathered any winnings they had and made their good-byes.

Oh well it had been fun while it lasted, and he had won more than he had lost. He put all of his gold winnings into his coin pouch. The serving girl was back at his side, as he pocketed his winnings.

"Would you like another goblet of Murandian red before you leave, my Lord?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and showing off an ample bossom.

"Yes, I think I will." He gave her another silver penny, and watched her walk back to the bar area. Maybe he would try his luck with her instead. A nice round bottom to grab- that's what he wanted. He would finish this goblet of wine, and see if he could get a bit of a kiss and cuddle from the serving girl- maybe more.

* * *

The night was nearing its end, by the time Talmanes left the Defender of the Dragonwall. He had been right; that serving girl had been looking for more than a kiss and cuddle, and very happy to give it! He stumbled out of the inn, and down the side street. Where had he left his horse? Or had he brought a carriage? He couldn't remember much right then, and that started to worry him. He never drank so much that he lost his wits. He stumbled into the wall of a nearby building, as the world lurched around him. He felt odd. He had been drunk before, and this wasn't how he had felt- was it?

He walked in what he hoped was the right direction to his manor house. The world would lurch on him, every now and then, and he would have to stop and rest or risk falling over. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move. Shadowspawn! He tried to yell in alarm, but his head was too woozy. He could barely think straight. What had that girl put in his wine? Surely it wasn't that he was drunk; he had drunk more in one sitting with Matrim Cauthon then he had drank tonight. They would go through several bottles of wine, ale, and spiced wine when they were together. No, the more he thought about it the more he was sure that he wasn't drunk- he was drugged. He had to strong of a head for drinking.

Something in the shadows moved again, and coalesced into the shape of a man. Talmanes began to breathe easier, his heart slowing down to a semblance of normal. Just a man, not Shadowspawn.

"Help, please." He croaked, and was surprised that he could even say that. The act of speaking nearly made his head explode and he wanted to vomit. Light, he felt like his head was going to split open right there.

The man walked up to Talmanes, constantly looking over his shoulder. Was there someone behind the man? His vision was starting to get blurry, and that was worrisome.

The light of the moon caught a glint of metal in the man's hand, and suddenly Talmanes understood. He had been played; the serving girl had known that he had lots of gold in his purse. He was in no position to try and fight. He tried to make his fingers work to untie his gold pouch. Maybe the man would just take it and leave.

The man's bulk was there before him in a second. "Give me your gold." He breathed, his breath smelling rancid. It was all Talmanes could do to not sick up right then and there. If he lived through this he would swear off drinking and taverns for as long as he lived. Blood and bloody ashes, if he lived through this he would give up trying to sneak and kiss and cuddle from women! Well, maybe not that last one anyway.

He lost his footing, and found himself leaning his entire weight on the wall of a bakery shop. His thoughts were jumbled, but clear. His body, however, was a different story. He could not make it move at all now.

The bulky man moved closer, his breath on Talmanes' face.

"My side." Is what he meant to say, but the words sounded like a babbling mess.

The man moved closer, knife still in hand. "What did you say? Katrin, how much of that stuff did you give him? He can't even talk!"

"Shut up, Larb! Just get the gold and let's go!" came a woman's voice from the street. It sounded a lot like the serving girl he had just bedded.

He tried to stand up, to get his pouch out so they would leave him alone. As he shifted, he fell forward and into the arms of Larb. Pain immediately pierced through his heart, and he knew he had been stabbed. He felt out of Larb's arms, as he hit the cobblestones.

"Light! I think I stabbed him, Katrin!" Larb shouted.

"Don't be an idiot, get the gold and leave him!" she shouted back

"I'm sorry my Lord, but we need the money to pay off a gambling debt. It's either that, or they'll kill me. It's nothing personal." Larb explained, as he cut loose Talmanes' coin pouch and ran up the alley.

It was almost funny to him, as he lay in a pool of his own blood, that he was dying. He had survived two Myrddraals and their poisoned blades, survived the Last Battle, and his undoing was a tavern wench. He would have laughed at the irony, if he hadn't been dying right then. His only regret, as his eyes started to close for the last time, was that he had not died under Matrim Cauthon's banner.


	13. Chapter 13: New Caemlyn

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_A special thank you to kitkitmaria for the grammar edits and Dean9909 for the WoT edits._**

_Chapter Thirteen: New Caemlyn_

The sun was just beginning to rise over the landscape that surrounded Four Kings, crimson red stretching over the horizon. Birds were just beginning to wake, singing the glory of the new morning. Despite the early morning, Elayne Trakand was awake and had been so for hours. She had been up early going over the morning reports; there seemed to be a never ending supply of those now that they were rebuilding Caemlyn. The table had stacks of reports yet to be signed, and she had Ogier to meet and discuss the next plan in the rebuilding efforts. It was enough that it made her want to go back to bed and hide.

Most of the palace staff had moved into the Royal Inn in Four Kings, making it their base of operations. It was close enough to Caemlyn that those who couldn't travel by gateway could make it to Caemlyn the same day. The town of Four Kings had taken on a whole new life since she had decided to stay there during the rebuilding. Several more inns had been built to house the hundreds of Kinswomen, the Sea Folk that remained, and her staff. The rest of the town had taken on a new light; the taverns and other inn had been remodeled and now were more presentable. Having the Queen of Andor and Cairhien in the town had made business very good. Most of the refugees from Caemlyn were housed in tents outside of the city. Even without the citizens of Caemlyn inside of Four Kings, the city was bursting at the seams. The Band of the Red Hand had been instrumental at keeping the peace in this town. With so many people in one town, there was bound to be trouble.

A knock came at the door of the private dining room she was using, and Kaila, one of her guardswomen , answered it. Halwin Norry walked in, bowing as he saw Elayne. His few wisps of hair were sticking out, as if he had dashed out of bed without checking his appearance. His customary ledger of reports, however, was tucked neatly in his arms. Elayne could only sigh.

"Your Majesty," Norry began in his dry, monotone voice, "I have the reports from the stone masons and the Ogier for your approval."

Elayne was relieved; she had been waiting on these very reports for weeks! Her architect had drawn up the design she wanted for the Royal Palace and the gates surrounding the city, but she had to wait while the stone masons, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, and the Ogier all compiled an estimate.

She moved the pile of papers she had been working on to the top of the pile that still needed her signature, and ushered for Norry to hand the papers to her.

"Have you breakfasted yet, Master Norry? There is hot tea and some scones on the table. Please help yourself." She said, as she took the folder from Norry. His ink stained fingers hesitated at handing over the folder, she could only think that he felt unclothed without it.

"Um, well thank you your Majesty, but I must decline."

"It's there if you change your mind, Master Norry." She said halfheartedly as she turned her attention to the folder full of quotes. To her right, on a small table, sat a miniature of the New Caemlyn- as it would be called.

The miniature housed an elaborate palace in the middle of the city. The Lion of Andor were carved over every door, window, and opening in the palace. The Ogier were incredible stonemasons, and had already made plans on what they would carve for her. The palace had four main wings attached to the center of the palace. The Eastern wing held her private apartments and personal library. She had added a large nursery that took up the entire third floor for Lini and the twins. The Southern wing housed the offices for her and the other members of parliament, as well as a large Map Room. The Western and Northern wings were quarters for guests and servants, with the large kitchens in the Northern wing on the first floor. There were banquet halls in the Western main floor, and audience chambers. The main body of the palace held a reception area and formal dining room. The grand staircase, its railing overlaid in gold leaf, led to the throne room. The throne room had a small door which led to a private hall, which led back to the Southern and Eastern wings. The throne room would boast an ornately carved throne, with the White Lion of Andor inlaid in white gold and rose gold. The floors would be marble, with mahogany carved walls. The White Lion would be carved into the wood, and the wood polished until it glowed. A massive, one hundred piece candelabra would be over the main part of the floor, and two large golden wall sconces would be against the back wall, behind the Throne. The amount of gold and silver that would be in the Throne room was meant to awe and inspire. To the left of the throne room was a private audience chamber, meant for small gatherings. The deep red carpets would be plush and the white walls showcasing elaborate wall sconces.

Outside of the palace were the stables, her personal gardens, and the Healers building. The Kin had agreed to heal whoever wished healing for free, but they needed a place for the masses to go. She had contemplated putting them in a wing of the palace, but later thought better of it. The people would not be comfortable going into the palace for healing. They would feel more comfortable if they were separate. The long building had a main room for healing, and two hundred cots as well as a fully functional kitchen. The second story was to be for the Kin to use as their personal quarters. She was having over one hundred rooms put in on the second floor as well as ten washrooms. Her own servants would see to the tending of the Healer's building; the Kin would be too busy. In addition to providing free healing for whoever wished, they were also going to have a portion of the Kin making Gateways at all times for pay. The Kin had argued that they need a way to make a living and since Elayne refused to allow them to charge for healing, they needed another way. The option had been for them to make Gateways for any and all that requested them. On the other side of the palace, next to the stables, she had added the Traveling Grounds building, with a large waiting room, fully furnished. The waiting room had five doors, which led to smaller rooms which were only to be used for Traveling. Each room had a massive map of the world, on the opposite wall. The rooms had no windows, so that there was complete privacy to the traveler, but had several wall sconces to light the room. The Kin had complained at being close to the stables, but it had made sense to put them there. There wasn't anywhere else to put them, without starting to cross into the city.

The inner part of the city would be housed within a three square mile radius wall. Each corner of the wall would stand fifty feet high in the air, and would have massive Dragons on each watchtower. She had been studying how to make cuendillar, and even studying the White Bridge to see if she could make something similar. Her hope was to make at least the wall and watchtowers so that they could never be destroyed again. A wall made of cuendillar that would be the grandest thing that anyone had seen. It would take a lot of work, and she would need the _Asha'man_ as well. She wanted to make her city as secure as it could be. The Trollocs were gone for now, but the Wheel of Time turned and everything that had been would come again, as well as the Dark One breaking free. She would see that the main parts of New Caemlyn were saved if an attack came again. Perhaps she could see if the palace could be made of cuendillar as well. It was an extravagance, but Caemlyn had been leveled. She would see what she could do to prevent that from ever happening again.

Opening the ledger, she pulled out the first quote. The Ogier quote demanded sums of granite and shale in the tens of thousands of tons, the white rock needed for the palace which of itself was over one hundred tons, and other materials. Elayne groaned inwardly. This was going to cost the city dearly. The Ogier had requested the honor of building the palace, and hadn't asked for much in the way of payment. The blacksmiths quote was much higher. The amount needed for the dragons would cost dearly, and the country was already depleted of much of its resource from the dragons made for the Last Battle. The goldsmiths wanted ten thousands gold crowns in payment, for all the gold leaf, and that wasn't including the cost for the materials. Then there were quotes from weavers, the carpetmakers, the potters, and more. The cost was more than the city could afford. She put down the last page in the ledger, and rubbed her temples with her forefingers.

"If I may say so, your Majesty," Master Norry's dry voice said, reminding her that he still was in the room. "Perhaps it's time that you called in some of the favors that the other nations owe. I wonder how much help the _Asha'man_ could be, in digging out the stone needed and other metals."

Before she could answer him, a knock came at the door. Kaila answered it, and in walked Logain Ablar as if Master Norry talking about him had summoned him. He wore a standard black coat with both the Sword and Dragon pin, and a sword at his side. One would never know that he was the Black Tower's new leader, just by looking at him.

Logain's eyes found her, and he bowed formerly. "Your Majesty, Elayne Sedai."

"You may rise. What is it that you need, Master Ablar." She would not call him _Tai'm'hael_, as the other men had started calling him. He had not proven himself to her, yet.

He stood straight, and was obviously keeping a check on his temper. She could see his nostrils flare, and his cheeks grow red. He obviously had noticed her lack of title, and was keeping himself in check. Had he always been this unstable?

"I am sure that you are aware of the agreement between the White and Black Tower. I have agreed to allow my second in command, _Shan'asha'man_ Androl Genhald, to make the Gateway alone. He will be linked to Pevara Sedai and another Sister which the Amyrlin will provide. I'm sure that you remember how large of a Gateway he is capable of making?" Elayne nodded her head to affirm that she did indeed remember that mile wide Gateway. Such a feat! _Shan'asha'man_- that translated to Lord Defender, that was interesting.

"In the agreement for this service, the White Tower has agreed to gift us the _angreal, sa'angreal, _and_ ter'angreal_ that are in the Tower, that only a man can use. The Tower will be delivering those today, when we go to Tar Valon."

Elayne barely held her reserve. The White Tower was going to _give_ these men items of Power? She hadn't been allowed to study them, to see if she could make replicas, and they were going to give them to the _Asha'man_? Now she would never get the chance to study them! What in the Light had Cadsuane been thinking?

"I am not sure what this has to do with me, Master Ablar. Surely you don't think that the Amyrlin will request that I be the Sister that links with Master Genhald. She knows that I am otherwise contained at the moment."

"No, I doubt that she would ask you to link with _Shan'asha'man_ Genhald." He said, placing emphasis on the word _Shan'asha'man_. They must have new ranks, she supposed. "I've come to… ask a favor of you." His face looked like he had eaten unripe raspberries. This was going to be interesting. What in the world could Logain need from her? Whatever it was, it was making him uncomfortable and it could be good leverage to asking him for his _Asha'man_ to help remove stone and metals from the ground.

"My men don't understand how some of the items of Power work, let alone how to recreate them. I'm hoping that if you were to explain your process that my men might be able to figure out how to do it themselves."

So, she would be able to study these items of Power after all, maybe even recreate them! She would have to play _Daes Dae'mar _perfectly, so that she could have access to those _angreal, sa'angreal_ and _ter'angreal_ and use some _Asha'man_ for the rebuilding of Caemlyn.

"Please, sit down, _Tai'm'hael_ Ablar, and let's discuss this. I'm sure that we can work something out before you leave for Tar Valon." She could barely contain her grin. It looked like this morning and the reports were all going to work out fine.

* * *

Androl Genhald finished packing his sack for the next two days. He had been told that they would be allowed to sleep in their own rooms each night, but a soldier always was prepared. He would not be left unprepared, in the occurrence that they had to spend the night in Tar Valon or Remen. As he packed, he could _hear_ Pevara's thoughts in the opposite room.

_"Don't understand what in the Light Cadsuane was thinking. She didn't even _ask _if she could use Androl. It goes against all custom. He's my Warder..."_

Her thoughts trailed off as she continued to grumble at Cadsuane's demand. True, the Black Tower would benefit greatly for his work, but Pevara had been livid. She had gone on for hours about how it was wrong to use someone else's Warder without their Aes Sedai's permission. Never mind that he was not the traditional Warder. She had bonded him, and then he had bonded her right back. What came of it was the ability to read each other's thoughts. They had shared the discovery with the Aes Sedai and _Asha'man_, and several had done the same thing with exactly the same results.

It was alarming having the woman in his head; he had to watch what he thought at all times, lest she know how he really felt about her. He wasn't sure that she would reciprocate those feelings. She was much better at guarding her thoughts then he was. It was hard to admit to himself, let alone her, that he was starting to fall in love with her. She was a Red, who knew how they viewed things like love. Although she was unlike any Red he had ever met before- not that he had met a lot of them.

His packing was complete, and he could tell because of the bond that Pevara was still packing. He decided to finish up his paper work while he waited.

Two days past the _Tai'm'hael _had gathered every man, who could channel, and laid out his new plan for the Black Tower. His vision for building an actual Black Tower had been a masterpiece- one that the men wanted to start on immediately. The news that the White Tower was going to relinquish items of Power that the men could use had caused quite the stir. Renaming the men had been the stick that had stirred the ant hill. The _Tai'm'hael_ had told the men that the last lesson that the Lord Dragon had wanted them to learn was that they were not weapons- they were men. As such, they would be changing their ranks within themselves. No longer would the first level be called a soldier- he would be called a Watchman. The next level would be Scholar for those who had been raised from the Watchman. After that they would graduate to Guardian and finally an _Asha'man_. Those who were Watchman would learn the basic weaves to survive. Once they had mastered those, and proved that they could be trusted to follow rules, they would move to the Scholar status. The Scholar's lessons would be harder, geared towards building strength in the Power. The Guardians would be allowed to start study what occupation they wanted to do as full _Asha'man_. They would be given full access to study whatever they wanted; be it healing, architecture, teaching, laws, making items of Power, even war. After they had proven that they had gained all the knowledge they could glean from the subject they studied, they would gain the title of _Asha'man_. They would still received the Sword pin upon reaching the Scholar status, and only be granted the Dragon pin once raised to full _Asha'man_. The _Tai'm'hael_ had even given Androl a new title- _Shan'Asha'man _Androl, which translated to Lord Defender. The men had been excited at the prospect of having fields of study, to be able to fine tune their areas of expertise. Many of the men were equally excited to start on the new Black Tower. There were several fine woodsmen and builders among the men and they were itching to get started on building.

In truth, Androl wasn't sure how he felt about the idea of a formal Black Tower. He was a simple man, enjoyed the simple things in life. It seemed almost too grand for the men. He would have preferred to keep the simple houses, and learning to many small buildings instead of one large one. He knew it was just his personal preference, he liked things simple and this new Black Tower was anything but simple.

He was in the process of finding a _der'sand _for the men, which translated to Master of Knowledge. He had it narrowed down to five men, and was having a hard time deciding which one would do the best job. The men would need a strong hand and Donalo Sandomere would provide that, but he was not a teacher at heart. Varil Nenson was an educated man, and adept at weaving, but he needed a firmer hand. All in all, every man on his list had the potential to be a great _der'sand_, but there was something lacking in each one. Maybe he should make the _der'sand_ an office for two men to hold. He made a notation to speak to the _Tai'm'hael_ about it.

He could hear Pevara coming into his small study, by her thoughts. She walked into the room, without knocking. She knew that he had heard her thoughts coming up.

_"Are you ready to go?"_ she thought. It was odd that ninety –nine percent of their conversations were rarely spoken. It gave them an edge in battle and could be very useful.

"_I've been ready. Just finishing up some paperwork while I waited for you to finish packing."_ He finished writing his notes and orders without looking up.

_"Are you sure that this is a good idea?"_ she asked, as she sat on his bed, for the fiftieth time since he had found out that he would be the one making the Gateway. He wasn't sure that it was a good idea; there was safety in numbers, but it made sense. He didn't want Pevara anywhere near the Seanchan, no matter what they had agreed to. He had tried to make her see sense in linking with him in Remen, and staying with the Aes Sedai while he went alone to make the Gateway- she didn't need to put herself in danger. She had thrown that idea completely out, of course.

_"We've talked about this, and you know that it just makes sense for me to do it. A large group isn't needed. There are going to be hundreds of damane there, and if they decide to start shielding and collaring people it makes sense to not have everyone there."_

_"At least ask Logain if you can have a guard of men around us, please? You're too valuable to the Black Tower and to me."_

He turned and looked at her, seeing genuine worry on her face. His face broke into a smile. Perhaps she did feel the same way as he did.

"I'll ask, if you agree to remain in Remen with the rest of the Aes Sedai." He said out loud. It felt odd to actually speak out loud around her. They carried on most of their conversations in the privacy of their minds. He couldn't hear her thoughts, so she must have masked them. He wished he was better at doing that. It was getting harder to be around her and not think about her pretty face.

"I will only agree to this if the _Tai'm'hael_ agrees to the guards." She said, arms crossed under her bosom. He smiled at her, and stood up from his desk.

"Where's your pack?" he asked, as he picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulder. "The _Tai'm'hael_ will be back from Four Kings soon, and we need to be on our way to Tar Valon."

Tomorrow was the day that would prove if the Seanchan could be trusted to keep their word.

_*I used the Domeran Old Tongue dictionary to create the name for the Master of Knowledge, available at www dot wotmud dot org/ directory/ domeran dot. Pdf Just remove the spaces and remove the word 'dot' and type a . instead. Thanks for reading*_


	14. Chapter 14: Plans

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria for your edits and Dean9909 for your WoT input and edits! You guys are amazing!**_

Chapter Fourteen: Plans

The morning's sunlight was just beginning to shine through the stained glass window in the Amyrlin's study. The reds, greens, and blues in the glass cast their colors on the richly decorated rug on the floor. The decorations that Cadsuane had chosen were simple yet elegant, reminiscent of her childhood in Far Madding. She still had several artifacts that had belonged to her father and mother; most museums would want to put them on display as antiques. She supposed that made her an antique as well- she was almost three hundred years old.

The morning's reports were neatly arranged for her viewing and signature. It was a tedious, boring task and not for the first time she cursed those women who had cornered her into this job. She should be at the Black Tower directing events and helping to shape those boys, not stuck here behind some desk. She had been a master manipulator; evading every attempt to make her Sitter for the Green Ajah and the Captain General of the Green, but she hadn't been able to manipulate her way out of this. The words had stung as she asked the Hall to be _allowed_ to serve. Bah! She didn't want this Light forsaken job! Let some other puppet have it!

There were perks to the job, however. The Tower had never been so united behind her. Ever since Egwene al'Vere had put into Tower Law that all Sitters must be in the Tower or appoint surrogates and all Sitters and the Amyrlin must be notified of all meetings of the Hall, things had changed. It had been a move that strengthened Cadsuane's position as Amyrlin. The Hall would argue a point, and all Cadsuane would need to do was cock her eyebrow and watch as the Hall stutter and started moving in the right direction. It helped being the oldest Aes Sedai alive, and a legend to the sisters. She never tried to make the Hall do what she wanted- she didn't need to. How she longed, however, to be free of Tower politics.

She had almost finished the reports when Vasha Dosmani, her Keeper, walked in. She dipped a curtsy as best she could while holding more papers. Only Vasha could find more papers for her to sign so early in the morning.

"Mother, I have the itemized list of _angreal, sa'angreal_ and _ter'angreal_ that only a man can use. Nesune Sedai thought you would wish to review it before she gathers the items for delivery to the Black Tower."

Nesune Bihara, of the Brown Ajah, had been given the task of watcher over the _angreal_ storerooms, with an especial eye towards organizing them and discovering all their uses. Her attention to detail, organization, and itemization had been perfect for the job. The storerooms had been moved under Egwene al'Vere's orders, and Cadsuane had had them moved again to a more secure, offsite location. The wine cellar at The Tremalking Splice had been rented anonymously, and had been put under heavy guard and subjected to a heavy layer of protection weaves. There were no less than three Sisters on guard at a time, and five Warders with them. Seeing Elaida as a _damane_ had proven that it had been a good idea. If she was so docile now, who knew what secrets she had given up- including where the storerooms had been.

"Thank you, daughter, I would like to see the list."

The list was quite extensive, and gave all the details that the Aes Sedai could gather.

_1.A wolf figurine. _

_Saidar was ineffective. Saidin channeled through the angreal amplified the strength of the weave._

_2. Rusted metal dagger_

_ Dagger appears to have rust, but upon further investigation one can see that it is not ordinary rust, but the way the dagger was created. Saidar channeled into or through it produces no effect. Saidin channeled through it was successful in amplifying the flows._

_3. Pair of Cufflinks overlaid in Mother of pearl_

_ Saidar was ineffective. Saidin channeled while wearing items allowed the wearer to become invisible. Separation of cufflinks by more than three feet produces an incessant "whining" noise that persists until the cufflinks are moved closer together. _

_4. Small figurine of a child holding a heart._

_ Saidar was ineffective. Saidin channeled into it started playing a lullaby. One can only surmise that the item was made by a male for his child, to lull them to sleep. No other function evident._

_5. Nondescript wooden pipe_

_ Saidar had no effect on the angreal. Saidin channeled through it amplified the weaves._

_6. Solid metal disk, about a hand width wide. Has a small thumb sized hole in the center._

_ Saidar had no effect. Saidin channeled into the disk brings up a library of books. The books were in a language that no one could read. Possibly older than the Old Tongue._

The list continued to label several _angreal_ in various shapes and sizes that only a man could use. It had been very helpful to have Jahar Narishma in the Tower visiting with Merise Sedai. The sisters hadn't even been sure if most of the items were objects of Power, as they couldn't make them work. They could sense a residue, so they knew that they were something important, rather than old and useless objects. Nesune Bihara had been very thorough, so she had been the perfect candidate for the job.

She hated relinquishing any items of Power to anyone, even other channelers. The White Tower was best equipped to handle these items of Power, and they should be studied here under the guidance of Sisters. Those boys didn't know what they were getting themselves into. At least they had agreed to allow Merise Sedai to remain with the items of Power while they fumbled their way around. She didn't like the idea at all, but those foolish boys would dig their heels in and refuse to budge if she didn't cave in somewhere. She had bullied enough boys to her way of thinking, and knew when to cave slightly to get what she wanted.

"Have her pack the items up immediately and bring them to me. Logain and Androl should be here soon. They'll want assurance that we're keeping our end of the bargain." She said as she folded the list and put it in the gilded box she kept on her desk for important correspondence. "Would you also let Ledel know that I'm ready for my breakfast tray?"

Vasha dipped another slight curtsy and left to give Cadsuane's orders. Those boys would be here soon, and she wanted to make sure that there was nothing else that she needed to do. She would have to guide those boys to the correct decision, without making it seem like she was guiding them. Rand al'Thor had dug in his heels harder than anyone she had ever worked with, and hopefully these boys wouldn't be as bad. Rand al'Thor- that name reminded her that she needed to have some eyes and ears on the lookout for Moridin's body. Somehow that boy had beaten the odds and survived the Last Battle, and taken his enemy's body at the same time. She would love to sit down and find out how, try to get some of the knowledge that he held in his head. She made a small note and put it in her gilded box. Picking up the last of the reports she set to reading and finishing her work before Logain arrived.

* * *

The cool winds coming from the ocean helped to dry the sweat from Mat's brow. The morning had been warm and humid, despite autumn being almost upon them. He wiped his brow and put his hat back on. It helped to shade the rising sun from his eye. He had the Ever Victorious Army practicing drills in preparation for the next day's battle. The army had been up since before sunrise, working through sword forms and going over battle tactics one last time. The foot soldiers were going through forms while the cavalry worked on forms on horseback. _To'rakan _and_ raken _flew through the air, practicing maneuvers and making sure that every last detail was in place before the next morning.

He had had to teach them new ways to fight, as their enemy would no doubt fight the same way. It was bloody inconvenient to have to be the one to re-teach these people how to fight.

_"It's your responsibility as Prince of the Ravens, Knotai."_ Tuon had said. Well he never bloody asked for this flaming responsibility, or to have people scrape and crawl around him. All he wanted was a cup of ale and a game of dice! It had been months since he had even touched a pair of dice! It was bloody indecent of the woman to expect him to give up his favorite pastime! Of course the last time he had tried to sneak into an inn, the innkeeper and half of the common room had recognized him. It was bloody hard to try and play a game with someone when they kept bowing all the time. Goat kissing fools! He was no Prince, no matter what Tuon said. Oh sure, he had a son now and his son was the heir to the Crystal Throne, but that didn't mean he was some bloody nobleman! The only reason he stayed was for Tuon - that was it! If not for her and Aburek, he would be out of here!

He moved from the vantage point he had taken and back to the palace covering where the _da'covale_ were beginning to set up the morning's meal. His personal guard, Petra Anhill, stood watching his every move. Petra had asked to be Mat's personal bodyguard, when he had found out that Mat was back in Ebou Dar. Mat had always been fond of Petra; he had even given him gold to start the inn that he and his wife wanted. Clarine was doing fine running an inn, in the city, and Petra had claimed he wanted to do what he was best at. Petra did his job well, being Mat's ever-present shadow.

Mat normally took his meals with Tuon and his son, but he was rather upset with Tuon this morning. It had been two weeks since Aburek's birth. The celebration in the city was still in full swing. Tuon had made a full recovery from her hemorrhage, but she was still recovering from childbirth. The ox-brained woman wanted to go into the battle field with the army in the morning. She wouldn't even hear any arguments against it, not even when Min had called her a fool-brained idiot. Light bless Min; she could get away with saying things like that as Tuon's Truthspeaker.

She had argued, foolishly, that she would be fine with her personal Deathwatch guards around her. Plus she would have her personal _Sul'dam_ and_ damane_ with her. There had been nothing that either one of them could say or do to dissuade her. She had claimed that she had watched the Last Battle from the battle field, and would watch as her armies retook Seanchan. Arguing that she should stay to care for Aburek hadn't worked either, as she had already found a suitable nursemaid for him. At least she hadn't said that she wanted Aburek to come with them. He would have had a fit over that! These bloody Seanchan, they were an odd bunch.

As he breakfasted Tuon came down with Selucia and Chaivar, who was holding Aburek. Chaivar was Aburek's cradle gift, from Tuon. She would be his nursemaid, chief maid, and personal bodyguard until he turned sixteen and would be old enough to choose another. Only the flaming Seanchan would give a person as a gift. People weren't gifts, they were people!

"Good morning, Knotai." Tuon said as she sat across from him. Selucia started preparing foods for her to eat, testing each one to make sure they weren't poisoned. He wondered if he should have Petra test his food, as it was common knowledge that you would have assassins come after you- in fact, it was expected! Was there nothing that the Seanchan did that was normal?

"Good morning, Tuon. I trust you slept well." He kept his tone respectful and purposefully avoided mentioning tomorrow's battle. It would start an argument that he didn't want to have. It was better to have an argument with a rock then with her! At least you could throw the rock and hit something with it when you were done arguing!

"I did. I trust that all preparations are finalized before tomorrow's battle?"

Blood and bloody ashes! She was looking for a fight, wasn't she?

"Everything's as ready as we can be, Tuon." He gritted his teeth as he said it, not wanting to really voice what he felt. She should not be in that battle field at all, especially so soon after giving birth. Light! He knew she was strong, but this was too much!

"I wanted to talk with you about my position tomorrow in the battle field." Maybe she was finally seeing reason and going to stay in Ebou Dar!

"I know you want to be there tomorrow, Tuon, but it's not needed. I know you want to watch the battle, but couldn't you do that through a gateway here- in Ebou Dar? I couldn't stand it if anything were to happen to you."

"We've been over this, Knotai; I will be there on the battlefield. I will not continue to argue over the same point." So much for that hope.

"I thought about your argument about me staying in a pavilion might stand out like a beacon to my enemies. So, I think that I will watch from a hill looking down, surrounded by Deathwatch guards, Suldam and _damane_. That way if the fighting gets too close to me, a _damane_ can open a gateway and get me to safety. Will this appease you?"

That had been one his greatest arguments, that pavilion would stand out like a sore thumb for every enemy _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. If he was on the other side, trying to take the throne from Tuon, he would have his channelers take out the pavilion where the Empress would surely be. At least she had seen sense in that line of thinking.

"A little bit. I would still feel better knowing that you were safe here, in Ebou Dar, with Aburek. I mean, how well do you really know Chaivar?" he leaned in and whispered. She gave him a leveled look that spoke volumes.

"Chaivar has been training to be a _so'jhin_ from the time she was a child. She had proven herself as a formidable fighter and guard in the past. She came with us when we crossed the Aryth Ocean, to learn under Selucia on how to be a proper _so'jhin_. I trust her, and so does Selucia."

Well, if bloody Selucia trusted her then everything was great and wonderful! Light! Mat didn't trust Selucia to decide that she didn't like Mat and knife him in the short-ribs!

"I still don't like it, Tuon. You're the Empress and your job is to stay alive so there's someone to rule Seanchan once we take it back. Couldn't you at least wear a disguise? Put on the outfit of a _Sul'dam_ so that the enemy doesn't know it's you? Put on a wig, or something?!" he put on his best, winning smile- the one that normally turned women into melted butter in his hands.

"I will do no such thing. To put on a disguise would be to deny who I am. I am the Empress; I will not hide who I am. I will be fine. Selucia will be with me."

Mat wished he could be as self-assured as she was. Light, she was stubborn!

"You had better make sure she stays safe, Selucia." He stared at her, not letting go until she responded.

"With my life, Your Highness."

With that, he finished what he had been eating, and walked over to Chaivar and Aburek. He hoped that he would see his son again, but one never left for battle assuming he would come home. He took his son from the protective arms of Chaivar. She almost looked like she wasn't going to hand him over, but did at the last moment.

He looked as his small son, so perfect and beautiful. He was sleeping peacefully, with a small smile on his face. Those lips were full like his mother's. How had life seemed so exciting before Aburek and Tuon? He bent down and kissed his son's head, breathing in the scent of the small boy.

"I love you, Aburek. Even if I don't come back to you, know that I love you." He whispered in his tiny ear.

He quickly, and carefully, handed him back to Chaivar. He had to get his army ready. They were going to travel to Fyall, and camp in-between Fyall and Remen. No sense in getting the Aes Sedai all excited because the Seanchan were camping in the same area as they were.

"Petra, go and give the order for the army to pack up and be ready to march through as many gateways as those _damane_ can make. I want to be out of Ebou Dar and in Fyall by noonday."


	15. Chapter 15: The Horn of Valere

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for you valuable_**** edits!**

Chapter Fifteen: The Horn of Valere

The small fisherman's boat rocked back and forth across the waters of the Aryth Ocean. The smell of salt was heavy in the air, and the humidity was thick. Olver could see storm clouds coming from the west, moving towards their position. He wasn't good at gauging the weather; that storm could be hours away, or a day.

In his hands, he tightly held a jute sack, filled with the most important treasure in the world- the Horn of Valere. He and a small group of guards were the only ones in the boat sailing to middle of the ocean. They had sailed from Falme to the Aile Somera and were now sailing to the deepest part they could find.

He cradled the covered horn in his arms, as a small tear fell from his eye. He didn't want to throw it into the ocean. It was the only link he had to Noal- his friend. Light, it was the only link to Birgitte! He still couldn't believe that Queen Elayne's Warder had been _the_ Birgitte Silverbow! He had to get rid of the Horn though, Birgitte had asked him to. She had met with him after the Last Battle, and spoke to him. She had told him how the Heroes needed to be reborn into the world; they had done their duty to the land and the Dragon Reborn. They had fulfilled the Pattern's design for them; it was time to let them go on. It made sense, but it hurt. Noal was his friend, he had saved his life from that trolloc. Dropping the Horn seemed like getting rid of his friend. He wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. He was nearly a man now; it was time to start acting like it.

"All you alright, Olver?" Sulda asked, coming to sit on the deck by Olver. She was one of the guards that Birgitte had personally selected to accompany him as he disposed of the Horn. She was a pretty woman, with a large bosom that was just right to snuggle in. She had a graceful way to her walk that he liked to watch. He liked her, and not just for the way she looked. She didn't treat him like a child like the other guards did. Most of the other guards were nice enough, but they treated Olver like he was someone to babysit. Light, he was sure that half the time they wanted to cut his meat up for him and spoon feed him! Why did Birgitte have to give him all women guards?

"I'm fine." He lied, as he sniffled. He hugged the jute sack closer. Only a few of the guards knew what they were doing, Sulda being one of them. He supposed that Birgitte had selected women guards, because most women would understand her way of thinking and would stop at nothing to get it done. He understood why she would select women; he just wished they would treat him like a man. He was almost twelve-almost old enough to shave!

"Listen, I know how hard this is for you. You've been through so much in the past year and no one would blame you if you just couldn't throw it in the ocean. But think about the people who are tied to it? What would happen to them? Don't they deserve a chance to go on with their lives? I would almost bet that every one that was tied to it is now reborn. So, nothing would happen if you blew it right now." She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder as he thought about what she had said. Most of them, if not all, were reborn. That meant he might find Noal again one day. Sure, he would be a baby, but maybe he could find him. That helped the sting a bit.

They continued to sail in silence, watching the approaching storm. They should be at their destination soon. Then they could head back to the Aile Somera and weather out the storm. After that they would head back to the main land, and then what would he do? Mat was busy being a Prince, and wouldn't have time for Olver anymore. Talmanes and the Band were focused on helping Elayne keep the peace while they rebuilt Caemlyn, and he had heard that Mistress Anan had gone back to the White Tower- whatever that meant. It wasn't like she was an Aes Sedai; he would have thought she would have tried to find her husband, not go to the White Tower. Maybe her husband was in Tar Valon?

It seemed that everyone that he had cared about had gone about their lives, rebuilding them to the best that they could and forgetting him. He had nothing. After he was done with this last job, where did that leave him? He was an orphan and he had nowhere to go. He had wanted to train with the Aiel, learn their ways and secrets so he could kill them. He didn't know if he would ever be able to find the twisted stone doorways, so he could get his answers from the Aelfinn on how to kill the Aiel. The thing was he wasn't so sure he wanted to kill them all anymore. He had learned, from fighting beside the Aiel, that not all Aiel were bad. Maybe Mat and Aviendha had been right and it had been only one group of Aiel that had killed his parents.

He still wanted his vengeance on the Shaido for killing his father- that would never change. Ever since he had lost his friend Noal though, he found himself dreaming of living the adventures that Noal had talked about. Maybe he could go and train with the Aiel, and after he killed the Shaido he would go see the world that Noal had painted. He could be the next Jain Fairstrider! That would be great to see the world and write his own book about his adventures! He could start the book with how he had blown the Horn, and then write about all the mysterious things he would see. Maybe those adventures would lead him to the person that Noal had been reborn as. They could have adventures together and see the world!

One of the other guards, Lida, came up and whispered something in Sulda's ear. He tried to listen in, but the wind was blowing in the wrong direction. All he got was an ear full of wind and waves crashing against the boat. It was a good thing that he had a strong stomach, or he would be losing his breakfast right then- the boat was beginning to rock furiously. That storm was going to be on them soon.

"We're here, Olver. We have to hurry and do what we came for before we're caught in the storm. I'll leave you alone, but you won't have much time. We have to be going in five minutes."

Sulda got up and walked to the other side of the boat where three other guardswomen stood waiting. He stood up, and looked over the railing on the bow. The water was starting to get choppy and the wind was picking up. He wouldn't have much time at all if they were going to avoid that storm. He gave the Horn, still inside the bag, a hug as tears began to stream down his face anew.

"Good bye Noal. I'll miss you. Thank you for saving my life."

He leaned over the railing and dropped the bag into the bottomless deep ocean. He watched as it started to sink, the weight of the Horn making the bag sink faster. He watched until the blackness overtook it. A feeling of loss and sorrow hit him; they were really gone- never to return.

"You did well, Olver. I know that Birgitte would be very proud of you." Sulda said, suddenly at his side.

"We should go now, before that storm gets us." He responded bravely, not looking up. She would see his tears and know his shame. He would learn the Aiel way, he would kill those responsible for killing his father, and then he would go see the world. He would make Noal proud of him; make him proud to say that he had been Olver's friend.

* * *

Perrin stood looking in the mirror, trying to adjust the jacket that Faile had insisted he wear. He felt like a fool in the outfit.

"Do I have to wear this?" he asked, "It is only Berelain's wedding. Nobody will be looking at me anyway."

"I think you look handsome." Faile said, coming up behind him. She was heavy with child, and walking was becoming more difficult for her. She would never admit her discomfort, but he could tell. She fixed his lapel, and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. The smell of her filled his nostrils, the smell of lavender soap mixed with the earthy scent that was all her.

"Besides, how would it look if you were to wear your normal attire? As the King of Saldaea and the one officiating the ceremony at a royal wedding you should be dressed up." She said as she straightened his crown. She smelled oddly eager and satisfied. He had no idea why. Maybe it was because Berelain was finally getting married, and any chance that she would change her mind and go after Perrin again was gone.

Faile backed away from Perrin and walked over to her dressing table, picking up the garnet earrings she was going to wear with the matching velvet gown. The gown fit snugly over her bodice, showing off her protruding abdomen. No one would miss that the Queen of Saldaea was pregnant. The color suited her, deep burgundy with flowing fluted sleeves. The bodice was fitted and the skirt flowed down and across the floor. A small train followed in the back. The entire gown had a border of white lace with garnets sewn on. It must have taken the seamstress months to make. She finished putting the earrings on, then picked up the Broken Crown of Saldaea and put it on. He already wore the matching crown on his own head. He really felt ridiculous, everyone knew who he was why did he need to wear all of this gaudy jewelry and clothing to prove who he was?

He had tried to argue out of officiating this wedding at all. True Berelain had helped him while they looked for Faile, but that didn't mean that he had to marry her and Galad did it? Maradon had suffered heavy damage when the trollocs had raided. The Cordamora Palace had a massive part of it destroyed as did the Northern wall. Most of the homes inside the city had been burned. The rebuilding efforts had been underway for months, with Perrin taking a huge lead in the forge. There was such a shortage of men who could work metal, and so many things needed to rebuild. Hinges, door handles, posts, just to name a few. Every man was needed, and he led them in the work. He would rather be back in Saldaea, working with the people to rebuild the city. He might be King, but he would not just sit by and watch other people do all the work; not when there weren't enough men to do it.

Faile was finished getting ready, and walked over to take Perrin's arm.

"We should get in there; it's almost time to start." It took all the resolve he could muster to straighten his back and walk out with Faile. Light, he did not want to do this.

The large audience chamber had been redecorated over night by the palace staff. The red walls with tiny golden hawks painted on them glowed under the light of thousands of candles. Night was beginning to fall, and the stifling heat of the day was starting to pass. The deep red carpets now housed bench seats, split into two sections down an aisle. There was a golden aisle runner in-between the sets of benches, and the ornate candelabrum above supported hundreds of candles and was decorated with thousands of roses. The whole room smelled sickly sweet to Perrin's nose. Too many flowers, mixed with the scent of men's sweat and women's perfumes. It was enough to want to make him gag.

Perrin took his place at the head of the aisle. Faile stood behind him, showing her support and power as Queen. He had asked her to sit, during the ceremony, but she had refused of course. A small orchestra sat to the right of Perrin, and was playing a romantic piece that Perrin had never heard of before. He stood there, waiting for everything to start and watching the guests walk in.

Elayne walked in, in a majestic blue gown with green trim. She wore emeralds in her hair and ears, and the new crown- a mix of the Rose Crown of Andor and the Crown of Cairhien. The finished product was stunning, a golden crown of suns and roses, intertwined around each other. No one could doubt her intentions with this crown; she meant to unite Andor and Cairhien together, as one nation.

Behind Elayne was her retinue of guardswomen. Ten women, all dressed in red livery and swords at their hips, walked in with her; their deadly grace telling everyone around them that they knew how to use those swords.

Morgase and Tallanvor walked in after, Morgase just beginning to show the early signs of pregnancy. Perrin had heard that Morgase had been given a section of land in Cairhien to Lord over. It was good to see them; Morgase was glowing as usual, and Tallanvor was beaming. He had always looked like a goose brained fool around her.

The ambassadors and royalty continued to walk in- King Darlin of Tear, with his wife Caraline, King al'Lan Mandragoran and Queen El'Nynaeve Mandragoran of Malkier, and more, all seated on the right side of the aisle. Once they were all seated, the Children of the Light began to file in- their armor not making a sound as they walked in and sat on the left side of the aisle. Every man that they could fit into the room was there, all wanting to watch their Lord Captain Commander married the Lady First of Mayen.

He was surprised to see so many monarchs there, with the Seanchan going to war the next day. He figured that Nynaeve would at least be with the White Tower, preparing to aid the Seanchan. The music changed tempo and Galad and Berelain walked, arm in arm, down the aisle. Galad wore his white uniform of the Children of the Light, his once beautiful face marred by a long scar that ran from the right of his forehead to his left cheek. His right arm had been severed at the elbow, in the battle with Demondred, and now had a pure white arm made of cuendillar. Galad had told him, the night before while they dined, that Elayne was attempting to make him a hand that could move- a _ter'angreal._ Until it was done, she had made him one of cuendillar. At his side walked Berelain, wearing an unusually modest dress. The golden gown covered every inch of her body, coming up to surround her neck. It was form fitting, and lace covered the edges of the sleeves, neck, and hem of the gown. The Diadem of the First, a golden hawk in flight, was nestled among the ornate hairstyle of curls piled high on her head, and flowing down her back. They walked together, Berelain sneaking adoring glances at Galad, until they stood facing Perrin.

He cleared his throat and started the ceremony.

"We are all gathered here today to witness the marriage of Lord Galadedrid Damodred and Lady First Berelain sur Paendrag Paeron . If anyone has any objection to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."

No one stirred in the room. A few women were already dabbing at their eyes with handkerchiefs.

"Lord Galadedrid, you may speak your vows."

Galad turned to face Berelain, a smile forming on his lips.

"I, Lord Galadedrid of house Damodred do swear under the Light to love you and keep you. I swear to protect you, to honor you, and to serve you as your husband until the day of my death. I swear that nothing but death will separate me from you, and I will be by your side as long as I shall live. Under the Light so I do swear." Faile handed him a golden band which he placed it on her third finger of her right hand, and then kissed her hand. There were several women openly crying now, Faile was one of them.

"Lady First?" Perrin prompted once Galad was done.

Berelain dabbed her own eyes with a handkerchief she must have had hidden up her sleeve, and cleared her throat.

"I, Lady First Berelain sur Paendrag of house Paeron do swear under the Light to love you and keep you. I swear to honor you, to cherish you, and to respect you as your wife until the day of my death. I swear that nothing but death will separate me from you, and I will be by your side as long as I shall live. Under the Light so I do swear." Faile gave Berelain the golden band for Galad and she placed it on the third finger of his left hand.

"By the power given to me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Everyone stood cheering, as Galad gently kissed his wife. As Perrin had known, no one even looked at him as the bride and groom walked out of the room to the banquet hall that was prepared. There would be a grand feast that night, to celebrate their wedding. Not for the first time he wondered why he had to dress in these foolish clothes. Faile walked up to his side, dabbing her own eyes.

"That was so beautiful, Perrin. You did a wonderful job."

"All I did was stand there and make sure that they said their vows. Anyone could have done it." He said.

"Well I doubt that anyone could have done it, and looked as handsome as you do right now." She put her arm through his, and looked up at him. The room was empty now, save for the two of them.

"Shall we go and join the feast, now, my Queen." His stomach rumbled loudly; he really was hungry.

"Yes, but let's not stay to long for the feast. I'm starting to feel as forward as a farm girl at harvest."

"In that case, we'll make sure to leave right after the main course!" he laughed as they walked towards the banquet hall.

_*I will only be updating once a week, from now on. My family is in full baby mode, right now. Two of my sisters are pregnant, due exactly one month apart, with one of them having twins. Both want me as their doula, so I've got a lot of work to be about. Don't worry, I'll still update, but it will only be once a week, instead of twice a week. Thank you all for reading!*_


	16. Chapter 16: Preparation

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you Kitkitmaria for your edits and Dean9909 for your valuable WoT edits. You are a wealth of WoT knowledge. Thank you for helping this piece. It was difficult to write!_**

Chapter Sixteen: Preparation

Dawn began to break, with bits of light peaking through the clouds. . The shadows grew longer as the sun rose, illuminating the tens of thousands of white-peaked tents that stood in the clearing between Remen and Fyall. Small cookfires were being started, cooking what meals the soldiers could eat before going to war. It was going to be essential for the soldiers of the Ever Victorious Army to get what rest they could, and eat when they could, to sustain them.

Matrim Cauthon stood watching the sunrise over the sea of tents, as some of the soldiers began to cook their morning meal, while others broke down the camp. The army was very fast, having set up every tent in less than twenty minutes. There were no _da'covale_ with the soldiers; they would just get in the way. The sun climbed higher, and Tuon emerged from the tent behind him. They had spent the night in each other's arms; he had insisted, and she had agreed. He just wanted to hold her, spend one night with her before they faced the retaking of Seanchan. He knew that it would be bloody, all wars were, but he could hope that last night wasn't the last time he would hold Tuon. It had been a rare night, all they did was talk. Not about the war, not about Aburek, not about Seanchan, but about their childhoods. It was odd to hear her talk about growing up; hear about her experiences and about her siblings. It was shocking to hear her talk about her siblings trying to assassinate her, so that they could become the next favored heir. That would have to change, if he survived this. He would not have any of his children trying to kill each other for the chance to become heir.

Mat looked over at Tuon, who was standing beside him with Min and Selucia behind her. Selucia was nearly hovering over Tuon, ever since Min had told her that she had seen danger around Tuon. Her viewing had been of an _a'dam_ around Tuon's neck, then being broken off of her. There were other auras, meaning danger, but the _a'dam_ was the one that had Selucia nervous.

Selucia had shaved Tuon's head for this day and she wore a dark blue tunic with a skirt that was divided for riding. It wasn't the exact blue color of the _Sul'dam_'s dresses, but it was very close. She had obviously thought that he could be right in his assessment, and decided to wear something that was close in color to blend in. The Light be thanked for that! He reached down and took her hand in his. Her long fingernails made it difficult, but worth it. She had asked him to grow out his fingernails, but he just couldn't do it. He would paint the blasted things, if she asked, but he couldn't fight with long nails.

"We'll be ready to march to Remen within the hour, Tuon."

She said nothing in return, but squeezed his hand and released it. She was all about the formality when others were around, unless of course they were in her private gardens with no one but her Deathwatch Guards around!

Furyk Karede walked up, bowing low. Behind him stood one hundred Deathwatch Guards, two dozen Gardeners, and half a dozen _Sul'dam_ and _damane_.

"You may rise, Banner-General" Tuon said, turning towards to group.

"We are ready to stand with you, Your Eminence." Karede said as he rose, not looking her in the eyes.

"What is the meaning of this Karede?" Mat asked.

"Your Majesty? You told me that I was to select a group of Deathwatch Guards, Gardeners, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ to stand with the Empress, may she live forever, to stand guard over her and watch over her with our very lives."

"Yes… I did say that, but I thought you would have a bit more common sense, Karede!" Light, was this man trying to point a flaming arrow in the direction to where Tuon stood? That many guards and channelers just standing there would alert every eye to her direction!

"My eyes are lowered, Your Grace. I am sorry, but I do not understand." He said as he bowed his head.

"Light, man, that many guards standing over her would be as bad as if we set up a bright yellow and red pavilion and stood screaming that she was standing there! Besides, I'll need most of you down on the battlefield. We've been over the battle tactics; you know what is expected of you!"

There were two factions fighting for control of Seanchan. According to his spy reports, one was a man named Cicu who had once been a part of the Imperial Guard. He had a large contingent of soldiers that was holding Imfaral. He didn't have many _damane_ but most of the guards that had served Tuon's mother were on his side. They held the Towers of Midnight, and they were incredibly skilled fighters and archers. He had had several gateways opened above Imfaral, and watched several skirmishes between the two factions. The _damane_ were hard pressed to get an attack in the narrow area which Cicu held. His archers were well skilled at putting down the _damane_ from hundreds of paces off. The _damane_ might be able to send lightning down from the sky, but the lightning strikes were unpredictable. No one could approach Imfaral without being seen. The mountains that surrounded the area might be good for hiding, but not for an assault. The rest of the finger of land was surrounded by deep waters. It was an impressive fortress and the perfect spot to maintain a base of operations. Mat's plan for destroying the army was to have a gateway opened up into the heart of the enemy's army. He had watched the men, counted their numbers. There were less than one hundred fifty thousand of them in all, and he would send in one hundred thousand of his soldiers with fifty pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. The channelers would first take out the fifty pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ that Cicu had, and then help the soldiers to destroy the enemy. He had made every Commander watch and learn the fighting tactics used. They were prepared. It wouldn't be easy, but the enemy would be defeated. They had orders to join with Mat as soon as they had quelled Cicu's army.

The second faction was led by a man named Thethoc. He had been of the High Blood and one hundredth in line for the Throne. He controlled Seandar at the moment, and had claimed the Palace and Crystal Throne for himself. According to the gateways, Mat had learned that he was already proclaiming himself Emperor. He controlled over two hundred _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ in the Seanchan, and had fewer than one hundred twenty thousand soldiers. This faction was going to take considerable more work to wipe out.

The capital of Seanchan was massive, with hundreds of thousands of people in it. The entire continent burned from riots and chaos as the people tried to survive while the two factions battled it out. The farms had been burned by Cicu's men, and Thethoc had retaliated by burning what stores Cicu had. It was the people that suffered the worst; the people starved as Cicu and Thethoc tried to kill each other. Tuon wanted to spare what lives she could. Somehow they would have to draw Thethoc out to the field of battle, instead of having the fighting go on in the city.

There was a confluence of three great river networks that flowed and met in the center right at the heart of Seandar. Behind Seandar was a massive set of mountains, the highest peak thousands of leagues in the air. The lower part of Seandar stretched several thousand miles to the north and east out of the southern landmass of the continent. It was heavily populated, and would make for a difficult assault. Tuon didn't want any more people to die than already had, and Mat needed the element of surprise on his side to end this. They would have to try and bait Thethoc out. Three _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ would be staying in the mountains, raining down rocks and landslides on the city. With the appearance of Mat's army across the river, it should draw Thethoc to him. He would assume that the channeling was coming from across the river since the _damane_ in the mountains would be inverting their weaves, and he hoped that Thethoc would assume that Tuon would be on the field as well. Tuon would be in the mountains watching the fight from above. If all worked according to plan, they would be slaughtered before they knew what hit them.

If the two enemy forces had joined together, then Mat might have a harder time destroying them. Sadly it was a good thing that the Imperial Guards had taken their own lives when the Empress had been murdered. The Gardeners had gone back to their Stedding, waiting for Tuon to come back. According to the Listeners in Seanchan, that were still loyal to Tuon, Thethoc had been hunting all of the Seekers for Truth and anyone loyal to Tuon. The remaining Seekers were in hiding with the Gardeners, in the Stedding, waiting for a chance to strike. If the Seekers and Ogier had joined either faction, the whole war might have a different ending then Mat wanted.

He hoped that most of the Aes Sedai, those that weren't going to be set free, would be of good use once the fighting started. He knew that the Aes Sedai _damane_ couldn't channel for fighting unless their lives were in danger, but they had some of the cleverest weaves. There was one _damane_ who could stop a man's heart with a flow of air. Just make it stop beating right there. Genny had taught every _damane_ that weave, and they had practiced on rats in the harbor. He figured if they could learn to kill rats at two hundred paces, they should have no problem killing the enemy soldiers, _Sul'dam_ and_ damane. _

"You know that I can't have that many Deathwatch Guards, Gardeners, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ surrounding Tuon. I want you to pick four other Deathwatch Guards, two Gardeners, and three pairs of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. I want you with Tuon, and the _damane_ with Tuon will be the ones to start the rock slides. I've ordered that one of the _damane_ with Tuon be able to create a gateway and the other two _damane_ have learned how to invert their weaves to start the rock slide." He hoped it would be enough. He was leaving a lot to chance, since Tuon was insisting on staying to watch the battle. It would be so much easier if she would just agree to stay behind.

"As you command, Highness." Karede said, looking very melancholy. It wasn't a deep desire to avoid fighting, Mat knew that, but a desire to make sure that Tuon would be safe. Mat respected that, but he couldn't risk letting his enemy know where Tuon was.

As Karede turned back to pick his men, Mat turned and looked out over the field that had held all the tents. Every tent had been struck and the campfires had been extinguished. In a matter of minutes the whole camp would be assembled, ready to march to Remel.

"Have Pips and Cloud saddled and waiting, Petra." He knew that Petra was right behind him, waiting at a moment's notice to protect Mat. Since Mat didn't have his manservant with him, Petra would have to do that as well for right now.

"I saw an omen this morning, Knotai." Tuon said, a bit of hesitation in her voice. Karede stopped speaking to the Deathwatch Guards, and all eyes turned to look at the ground at her feet. They would never meet her eyes, even when she was telling them of her superstitious nonsense. "This morning when I awoke I saw an owl hooting, and he did not fly away when I looked at him. This means that great care should be taken, the next few days will be ones of important decisions."

The Deathwatch Guards and Gardeners began to murmur their agreement. "Yes, well I plan on taking great care, Tuon, most especially with you." As he spoke, Petra waked up with Pips and Cloud, the mare that Tuon would be riding. She had left her Razor back in Ebou Dar. That fine mare would be as bad as a beacon to announce where she was.

They both mounted, and walked their horses to the front of the line. Behind them the soldiers were either mounting or gearing up. Within minutes every soldier, Deathwatch Guard, Gardener, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ was mounted and riding to join the line. The sun had risen to the middle of the trees, and Mat looked behind him at the sea of horses and riders. Two hundred thousand men and women rode behind him. There were the Deathwatch Guards, cavalry, foot soldiers, infantry, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, and Gardeners; behind the horses stood the _To'raken _and _Raken_ and their riders. The sea of people seemed to stretch on forever. They would lay their lives down for Tuon, for the Empire. They considered it their duty, their privilege, and even though these people were strange in their ways and thinking they were doing this for Tuon. He owed them a debt of gratitude that he could never repay. He only hoped that they would come out the victors and that the White Tower would honor their agreement. Light knew Aes Sedai were tricky.

"It's time to toss the dice." He murmured to himself as he motioned the lines to march and kicked Pips in the flanks.

* * *

Wayland's Forge was bursting at the seams as the sun began to rise. The common room was filled with Warders and their Aes Sedai as well as _Asha'man_ with their Aes Sedai. There was a quiet buzz of noise as everyone drank tea or broke their fast on freshly baked honey cakes, murmuring to each other in quiet voices. The nervous tension was building and Androl could sense it. They had arrived in Remen only an hour past, not wanting to stay any closer to the Seanchan then they had to and it would soon be time to start. Pevara sat across from him, sipping her tea and purposely not looking at him; for once he couldn't hear her thoughts. She was blocking them from him, but he knew exactly what was on her mind. She was terrified for him. She had been up most of the night pacing, thinking of a thousand different scenarios that could happen this day; everything from burning himself out to the _damane_ throwing a shield on him and collaring him. He had barely been able to sleep listening to her thoughts, even though they had slept in their separate quarters.

He had been nervous as well, until their meeting with the Amyrlin. The meeting with Cadsuane Sedai had been more productive then he had hoped for. She had been true to her word and had given them dozens of items of Power that only a man could use. He had stood in awe when he had held a rusty looking dagger, and felt the power flood into him like a torrent. The _Tai'm'hael_ had told him that he should use that dagger while making the Gateway.

To his surprise, the _Tai'm'hael_ had agreed to allow four full _Asha'man_ to stand beside him. There were to be five Warders with the Foxhead medallions to accompany them; to escort the newly freed damane back to the waiting Aes Sadai. Everything had been gone over, in detail, and he felt confident that he could make the necessary gateways. A letter had been sent to the Amyrlin from the Prince of the Ravens, asking that Androl make three gateways. Mat, or Prince Knotai as he was now known, had sent detailed maps of the areas where he wanted the gateways opened so Androl now had an idea of where to make them. Pevara had been furious, as had Cadsuane, that the plans had changed. What was supposed to be one gateway had turned into three!

The demand for more gateways had apparently stirred the Hall of the Tower to a fury, and they had wanted to demand for more _damane_ to be released. The _Tai'm'hael_ had stopped all talk of that in its tracks.

"You have over one hundred thousand Seanchan waiting near Remel. If you demanded more _damane_ to be released, what's to say that they will even negotiate this? They may just decide that it's not worth it, and make the gateways themselves and worry about the _damane_ not being there to channel later. We can't afford to lose any of the women that want to be freed. You agreed to make the gateway, _Shan'asha'man_ Androl will make the gateways. I suggest, however, that instead of just having a circle of three that we have a full circle of seventy two. _Shan'asha'man_ Androl will be exhausted from making three large gateways, and will need all the help he can get. "

Of course, that had led to further discussions between the Amyrlin and the _Tai'm'hael_. The Amyrlin didn't want that many Aes Sedai to be left powerless in the chance that the Seanchan decided that they wanted such a strong channeler. In the end it had been agreed that a circle of thirteen, four _Asha'man_ and nine Aes Sedai, would be more than sufficient for the task. They had practiced forming the circle the day before, using the strongest _Asha'man_ in the Black Tower._ Asha'man_ Damer Flinn, _Asha'man_ Jahar Narishma, _Asha'man_ Jur Grady, and he made up the four men. Pevara Sedai, Zerah Sedai, and four other Aes Sedai he didn't know as well as three Accepted, Alivia Aladon, Kirstian Chalwim, and Sharina Malloy made up the women. He found it odd to use the Accepted, seeing how the White Tower viewed them, but he could feel their immense strength once they were linked.

It had been a marvel to link with the other twelve people, to feel their strength and have enough power to make three gateways a mile wide each. He wanted to test and see if he could make the gateways ten miles each, but Pevara had counseled against it. Better not make them too big, and make him too valuable of a prize to the Seanchan. He felt like he could have leveled an entire continent when he was linked to them. The _Asha'man_ all held _angreal_ to boost the flow from them, and it was a massive inundation of Power. He would have to be careful in this linking, lest he get too used to all the Power and flow. It would be too easy to get used to handling that much of the Power, and quite depressing when it was all gone and to be back to his old ways.

_"Careful Androl. If you keep touching that dagger, the Tai'm'hael might think you mean to keep it."_ Pevara thought at him, bringing him out of his contemplation. He hadn't realized he had been touching the dagger, until she had said something. It was embarrassing to admit that he enjoyed the increased power the dagger lent him. He felt almost like one of the other _Asha'man_, not weak as he usually was. He forced his hands to the table and finished his cup of tea. It would be time to leave soon enough.

The room grew silent as a Warder walked into the room, looking as hurried as Androl had ever seen a Warder. That was to say, he moved with a deadly grace, but slightly quicker than normal. The Warder walked over to Cadsuane and bowed, then spoke quietly in her ear. Androl didn't need to hear what he said- he knew. The Seanchan had arrived near the town.

It took but a heartbeat for everyone to surround Androl. Pevara started linking with the Aes Sedai, brining in the other _Asha'man_ as she could. Finally all that was left was to bring Androl into the circle. He brought himself right to the brink of seizing _Saidin_, and waited for what seemed like an eternity. He felt himself brought into the circle, and almost sighed with relief as the _Saidin_ filled him. He reached through the circle, and felt Pevara pass control over to him. He could feel the calm flows of _Saidar_, a gentle but powerful river in his mind, and the raging rapids of _Saidin_ that surged through his very being. He felt more alive than he had ever felt. It was exhilarating- it was life.

Suddenly the weight of what he was about to do hit him like a stack of bricks. He would have four _Asha'man_ standing guard, and he was going to make three massive gateways for the Seanchan. The very people that would rather have him in a Domination Band- rather have him a slave- and he was going to help them. The fears that Pevara had been thinking about last night flooded into his mind. That was the bad thing about reading each other's thoughts; they tended to mirror each other eventually. He could see the Seanchan locking the black band across his neck, and suddenly not being able to move at all. For the first time he felt nervous.

_"You'll be fine, Androl. You will succeed and come back to me."_ Pevara thought, and he felt calmer. It could be inconvenient to hear each other's thoughts, especially since he wasn't as good at masking his as she was, but she had a way of calming him. She was so solid and sure, most of the time, and knew what to say to make him feel better. She was his rock.

_"Thank you."_ He thought and before he could help himself he thought, _"I love you"_

He wanted to crawl into a hole and hide for the rest of his life. Why couldn't he just mask his thoughts like she could? She had never shown, or thought, anything that would make him think that she would feel the same way, and he had just thrown it all out there for her to know!

_"I know. We'll talk about it later. I want you to concentrate on your task and coming back to me."_ She smiled her beautiful smile at him, and he knew. She may not have said it back, but she loved him as well. Determination and strength flowed through his being, and he smiled back at her.

"_Asha'man _Mileyar, Huer, Viol, and Lodwid to me." He said as he turned to walk to the door of the inn. He was quickly surrounded by the four _Asha'man_ and five Warders stood behind them. Everyone knew their job. It was time to be about it. He wanted this to be done, so he could get back and have that conversation with Pevara.


	17. Chapter 17: Gateways

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for your insight and edits!_**

Chapter Seventeen: Gateways

Pips stamped a nervous hoof as Mat sat waiting with the sun at his back. The Ever Victorious Army stood behind him, perfectly still and quiet. Every now and then a horse would wicker or stamp a hoof, but the army themselves never said a word. Tuon sat straight backed on Cloud, the brown mare she was riding, staring straight ahead to where the Aes Sedai and _Asha'man_ should be arriving. She never shifted an inch, but he would bet his hat that she was a bit nervous. She would never let on, but being around Aes Sedai made her uncomfortable, and she was even tenser- if not wary- around the _Asha'man_.

Not that he could blame her, of course. Only a fool would feel comfortable around those madmen. Oh sure, Rand had claimed that _Saidin_ was clean before he died, but he still had his doubts that Rand was sane in the end. Well, what was done was done. There wasn't a thing to be done about that now.

They waited as the sun continued to climb higher, passing the tree line. He had seen movement over the ridge, when they had arrived, and he knew that it was a Warder. Why were the Aes Sedai waiting so long? Where they trying to do- make the Seanchan nervous? If so, the army wasn't showing any signs of that happening. They would wait all day in the pouring rain, if needed.

Suddenly, a silver line appeared one hundred paces ahead of them, slanting vertically and opening to reveal a small Gateway. Five _Asha'man_ walked through, followed by five Warders, their silver Foxhead medallions gleaming in the midmorning sun. The Gateway winked shut behind the men and they stood facing Mat, looks of pure calm radiating from them. They stood there, not moving any closer.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tuon hissed in a low voice, and Mat agreed with her. They had agreed to release the _damane_ for a gateway that only a circle could make. What could these five men do?

"I'm going to go find out" Mat said, raising a fist to signal the army to stay put. Who knew how sane these men were, and he didn't need them feeling ambushed by the army. Better to just have him go. He heeled Pips into a walk, and started forward. After a moment, he heard Tuon, Selucia and Petra start to follow. Of course, they would never let him go alone, that would be too much!

All four of them reached the men at the same time, and Mat quickly dismounted.

"Not to sound bloody ungrateful, or anything, but would you like to tell me what in the name of a bloody trolloc's left kidney you're doing here? Where are the Aes Sedai? Are they going back on their agreement?" He was really going to be mad if the Aes Sedai decided to go back on their word now. Everything hinged on these gateways!

"Your Majesty, I am here to make those gateways. The Aes Sedai and _Asha'man_ have not gone back on their word." A man with heavy eyebrows said.

"No disrespect, but we have plenty of _damane_ that can make gateways. We needed a full circle so that we could make a larger one."

The man just smiled.

"_Shan'asha'man_ Androl can make a gateway miles wide- by himself. Trust me your Majesty; he will be sufficient for the task." It was the same gnarled Warder that had given Mat the list of _damane_ that wished to be freed. Now that he was looking at all of the Warders, he could see that they were the all the same ones that had come to Ebou Dar, and talked with the _damane_.

Miles wide? He had heard of an _Asha'man_ who could make massive gateways by himself, but he had thought the man had been linked.

"Her Excellency would like a demonstration, to ensure that this is not a trick, before we continue." Selucia said, standing beside Tuon who was at Mat's side. Mat had been so focused on the _Asha'man_ and Warders; he hadn't noticed that Tuon had walked up beside him.

"As you wish, your Majesty." The man named _Shan'asha'man_ Androl said as he bowed. Mat watched as Androl turned to face the city of Remen, which lay less than a mile away. He felt his own Foxhead medallion grow cold as Androl channeled a long silver line. The line must have been over a mile wide, it stretched for what seemed forever. The silver line opened to reveal what had been Shayol Ghul. The entire area had been dramatically transformed. Flowers bloomed in green fields, butterflies flitting about from flower to flower. Small trees had started to grow in the once barren waste land. He could see deer and elk grazing in the field, enjoying the morning sun in their backs. As gorgeous as it was, it wasn't the beauty that shocked Mat. It was the sheer size of the Gateway.

The gateway itself was so large that he could have marched the entire army in right then and there, and had room left over.

"What a gift this _marath'damane_ is." He heard Tuon whisper. He could hear the conflict in her voice as she said it. The _Sul'dam_ had no practice in holding men with the black _a'dam _that they had, but he had no doubt what she wanted to try with this man.

He turned to face Tuon, concern in his eyes.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't do it Tuon." He whispered.

"Don't you see how valuable an asset he would be to the Crystal Throne and the Empire? A man with that much strength? We could level the opposition in one blow!" she whispered back.

"Actually, your Highness, this is all I can do." Androl said, turning to face Tuon and Mat and letting the gateway wink shut behind him. "I'm considered the weakest of the _Asha'man_ because all I can do is make gateways. I'm useless in any other weave."

"But our _Sul'dam_ could help you overcome that. They are highly trained at bringing out the best in the _damane_. They could help you reach your full potential. Surely you would like to be at your best. I can assure you that we treat our _damane_ with honor. They are highly valued in our country."

"I appreciate the concern and offer, your Highness, but if the previous _M'Hael_ couldn't get me to weave anything else of value, I doubt your _Sul'dam_ could either. The _M'Hael_ did not have a… gentle hand." He said as he shook his head and laughed.

Mat could see that Tuon wasn't going to let it go, so he jumped in to avoid any further conversation.

"Well, I must admit that you are rather impressive at making gateways, _Shan'asha'man_ Androl." He motioned to Petra to bring the maps that he had on him. He waved three fingers in the air, as a signal to the Commanders to start moving their people into their groups. It would take time to move everyone into position and give Mat time to go over the maps one last time with Androl. He knew that while they went over the maps, the Warders would be finding and releasing the _damane_ on their list.

"I want to go over where I want the gateways opened, and make sure we have the exact area down to move. Timing will be everything."

* * *

Sairen Loven sat atop her plain grey mare, eyes downcast. The mare matched the color of the dreaded grey dress that she wore perfectly. The silver collar around her neck itched, but she dared not to touch it- her _Sul'dam_ would be very upset if she showed nerves on this day. Her _Sul'dam_, Kiac, sat on her glossy black mare looking proud, as she did most of the time. She had bragged how she had finally broken an Aes Sedai, finally got Ren, as Kiac called her, to submit. How she hated Kiac with every fiber of her being. She had endured endless torture and punishments, nights being made to sleep in the cold floor instead of a mattress, and had been forced to reveal Tower secrets. She hated her with everything that she had, and had gladly told the Warder that she wanted her name on the list of potential women to be freed.

"Would you look at that?!" she heard Kiac say to Jirlean, the _Sul'dam_ beside her. Sairen knew that she was not to look up, but she dared to peak up between her lashes to where the Prince of the Ravens and the Empress stood. She was never allowed to look at the Empress, may she live forever, directly, but she had snuck peaks at her.

In front of her, she saw a massive crowd of people- the Ever Victorious Army. She was towards the front of the line, but it was still hard to see while keeping her head down. She could see the Prince and the Empress, along with two people that looked like their bodyguards. In front of them stood five Warders and five _Asha'man_. One of the _Asha'man_ was creating a gateway that was easily a mile wide, if not larger. For a minute Sairen forgot to look through her eyelashes, and looked up in shock. How in the Light could anyone make a gateway so large? She wanted to shout at the man to run away, before they put a collar on him. She had heard that they had a black collar for men.

A whip struck her back, through the _a'dam_ and she barely stopped herself from crying out. She hastily looked down again. She hated being cowed this way- afraid to look up or speak without punishment, but she had learned how painful the _a'dam_ could be and how cruel the _Sul'dam_ could be as well.

In her first weeks being collared, she had been made to feel like she was being drowned in a pool of water, only being able to gasp for air at the whim of her _Sul'dam_, made to feel like beetles were crawling out of her skin and eating her alive, made to feel like she was being whipped with stinging nettles and more. At first she had tried to resist, using her Great Serpent Ring as a focal point, but as the weeks wore on she realized that it was useless. The Aes Sedai were bound by the Dragon's Peace, and no army would be rescuing her. When that realization hit her, despair had overwhelmed her. The _a'dam_ prevented her from taking her life, but that didn't stop her from wishing that she could die. She was worse than a slave to the Seanchan; she was an animal to be controlled.

She had thought all hope was lost; she had been a _damane_ for over a year, and had learned that the way to avoid the punishments was to do what they wanted. She hated herself for being so weak, for giving in so that she could stop the pain. She had lost all hope of being set free- that was until the day she found out that there was a possibility of rescue. She had stood in that garden, with her head lowered and gave that Warder her name and Ajah, and telling him that she wanted and needed to be rescued. The Warder had looked at her with such sympathy in his eyes, as he wrote down her name and Ajah, and wrote the words 'yes' next to her name. She was surprised to see many 'nos' next to many of the _damane's_ names, but that gave her hope that maybe she would be rescued.

"I'll do my best, Aes Sedai, to make sure that you are one of the ones freed." The Warder had said in a whisper and he moved on to the next_ damane._ For the first time in over a year she felt real hope spring up within her.

Surprisingly, Kiac hadn't asked if she had put her name in the list of _damane_ that wanted to be freed. Perhaps she knew the answer to that question, or maybe the _Sul'dam_ had been ordered not to ask, as they had been ordered not to interfere with the questioning. It didn't matter what the reasoning was, she had hope of being rescued.

She sat with her hands folded on top of her horse, looking at her Great Serpent ring. They had allowed her to keep that part from her old life; they liked to brag about having captive Aes Sedai that they had broken. All of her training in the White Tower, the Silver Arches and facing her greatest fears, had never prepared her for this life- the life of an animal. She had to keep believing that her name was going to be one on the list. She cleared her mind and concentrated on listening to what was being said ahead. It was surprisingly easy; the entire army stood deathly still waiting and watching.

"I want to go over where I want the gateways opened, and make sure we have the exact area down to move. Timing will be everything." She heard Prince Knotai say.

She could hear murmuring up ahead, but she didn't dare look up to see what was going on.

Suddenly a loud voice boomed, and she knew that it was being amplified by the Power.

"We are now going to read the list of the _damane_ that are to be set free. If your name is called, please raise your hand, and a Warder will come to remove the _a'dam_ from your neck. Do not fear retribution from the _Sul'dam_; we have been given assurance that the _Sul'dam_ will not interfere in this."

This was the moment that she had been waiting for; she could feel tears start to fall down her cheeks in anticipation. Light, she had to be free of this blasted collar! If she wasn't one of the _damane_ to be freed, she didn't know how long she would last.

She sat on her mare, eyes down with tears streaming as she heard name after name called.

Sissera Bacel

Meriin Heses

Tetsiame Wufan

Zaniin Laf

Nierida Witel

Josasine Cauar

Danavin Machiin

She listened to each name being called, heard the gasps and cries of the women as they were released from the cursed _a'dam_, hear those wonderful groans of despair coming from the _Sul'dam_ as they lost their _damane_. She felt the despair start to well up in her, as the list continued to be called, and her name was not.

Tia Fuko

Sairen Loven

She whipped her head up at the sound of her own name, and cried out in surprise. She could hardly believe it, and it was obvious that her _Sul'dam_, Kiac, couldn't either. She threw her hand up in the air and watched as the same Warder who had taken her name walked up to her. Tears of unbelief and joy were gushing down her face. She wanted to kiss this man for setting her free! She bent her head down as gasped as he quickly, and smoothly, pressed the hidden catch release. The collar fell away and she couldn't help but put her hand to her, now bare, throat.

"Come on, I need you to dismount. You can't take your horse, the women that want to be returned to the Seanchan will need them." The Warder said.

She didn't care if she had to walk the entire way to the White Tower, she was free! She was tempted to take a minute and hit Kiac in the face. The woman deserved a well placed punch, but as she dismounted she noticed that Kiac was crying into the arms of Jirlean. She was sure she was about as sad as one would be about losing a favorite kitten.

She turned and walked towards where the other Aes Sedai were gathering. Most of them were crying, looking no better then she supposed she looked- tears streaming down her puffy eyes. They all looked shocked to be standing there. They stood huddled by one of the _Asha'man_, looking like they were waiting for this all to be a joke and be re-collared again any minute. To be honest, she felt the same way. The simply was not real; she had prayed for this so long and now it was finally here!

A gateway opened up a few feet away from where the Aes Sedai stood together, and from the gateway walked ten women wearing grey dresses. Their eyes were downcast, and as soon as they were close to the Empress, they fell on their faces.

"Please, your Highness, collar us! We are a danger to ourselves and the Empire." One of the women said, as she choked back tears.

Sairen could hardly believe her ears! These women _wanted_ to be collared? They had to be crazy to want that!

She felt a hand on her back, and turned to see the Warder slowly herding her towards the still open gateway.

"Your Sisters are waiting for you on the other side." He said, and she could barely make her feet walk, instead of run. She wanted away from these people as fast as possible.

"Wait, you forgot someone." She heard Prince Knotai call and turned as he walked over to the Sharan _damane_ and took off her collar. She couldn't hear what he was saying to her, but the Sharan's face grew from shock to amazement. She got off her horse, and bowed low before the Prince.

"I will do my best to serve, your Highness." She said, and walked to where Sairen stood.

"Come on, we need to get going before the Seanchan decide to change their minds." The Warder said, and that was all Sairen needed. She turned back to the open gateway and walked into freedom.


	18. Chapter 18: Imfarel

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for invaluable edits._**

Chapter Eighteen: Imfarel

_*All of my stories are rated T for teen and up. This one is as well, but had death, blood, and some gory scenes to it. Just a warning, before you go on reading*_

Banner General Elbacu Sather sat watching the once _damane_, now _marath'damane _once again, walk through the hole in the air that one of the _Asha'man_ had made. He felt sick watching those women walk away unleashed, but the Empress, may she live forever, had commanded it. She obviously knew what she was doing and he had no reason to question her.

Beside Elbacu sat his captain, Sirek Lildoc. Sirek was in charge of the two hundred Standardbearers, and they were in charge of the one hundred thousand soldiers that stood behind him. They all knew their orders, and had not been pleased when Prince Knotai had commanded that they not wear their normal armor and not take their horses. It was their uniform, and having a uniform made the men feel safer. There had been wisdom in the Prince of the Raven's advice, however. He had suggested that this campaign should instead move under the cover of darkness and slaughter as many of the enemy that they could before being discovered. It made sense to not wear their normal armor to reduce the amount of noise. Knowing the reasoning and agreeing with it didn't make him feel any more comfortable. He felt like he was going in naked.

He had volunteered for this campaign personally when he had heard what was going on in Seanchan. His eyes had been lowered when he had found out what his brother had been doing. It shamed him to his core to know that Cicu had betrayed the Empress, may she live forever, by trying to steal the throne and her soldiers. The only thing that would restore his honor was to kill his brother himself.

His brother had always thought highly of himself, even as a child. Ever since Elbacu could remember, Cicu had always been able to manage to get his way-even if his parents couldn't afford it. Cicu was the youngest child, after his mother had suffered many miscarriages. As such, his parents had gladly given in to Cicu's demands. When their parents had died, Cicu had decided that he wanted glory and honor. So, he had joined the Imperial Army. He had risen in the ranks fast, mostly because he could sweet talk anyone, and get them to do as he wished. It really wasn't a surprise that he had fallen this far, though. The fact that he had been able to manipulate the Imperial Army and most of the Ever Victorious Army that had remained in Seanchan into joining him spoke volumes to Elbacu. No doubt he had promised wealth and glory to the men that helped him attain the Crystal Throne. Cicu was very persuasive, and Elbacu was sure that the Cicu had them eating right out of his hands. But to fall this far, to throw away all honor and betray the very person he had sworn to defend. He was glad that his parents weren't alive any longer to bear witness to the shame that Cicu had laid on his family.

He and Lildoc had gone over the battle plan hundreds of times with Prince Knotai. It never ceased to amaze Elbacu how intelligent Prince Knotai was. The man had so much knowledge about battle tactics, such clear direction, that Elbacu could have sworn that he was one of the Great Captains. Elbacu had commanded many campaigns, been in many wars-including the Last Battle- and in all his years of experience, he had never met someone like the Prince of the Ravens.

The breeze began to pick up slightly, as the sun grew higher. It was almost noon, and it would time to leave soon. Timing was everything for this battle tactic to work. Seanchan had just reached nightfall, being twelve hours ahead of this land. The element of surprise would be on their side, they would work under the cover of darkness and slaughter the enemy's forces. He had full faith in his men's abilities to carry this out, but he ordered that they leave Cicu for him. He would restore honor to his family's name and remove the blemish that was his kin.

Up in front he watched as the Empress, may she live forever, Prince Knotai, and the _Asha'man_ poured over the maps.

* * *

The map of Seanchan was quiet detailed; it must have been made by a master mapmaker. Androl would have been impressed, if he wasn't been so offended by the Empress' words. She had actually tried to convince him to allow them to collar him? He had heard how the black _a'dam_ worked by leaving a man unable to move or speak without permission. She had tried to make it sound like something he would _want!_ The Seanchan were deluded if they thought anyone would want to live as an animal. He tried to push his revulsion to the side and concentrate on his task. He really wished he had more guards around him, though. Who knew if the Seanchan were going to decide that it wasn't worth it, and collar him anyway?

The plan was simple; he was going to make three gateways at the same time at different locations. He had to learn this area first, which was why he hadn't made the gateways yet. That and they wanted it to be done at midnight, Seanchan time. Androl had to give it to Prince Knotai; the man was a brilliant general. He really seemed to care about those under his charge, wanting as few casualties as possible. The first gateway would only need to be large enough for one hundred thousand soldiers and fifty _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pairs to walk through. It would open into the very heart of Imfarel, where there was a large square. The square was a large brick area, where the town's people gathered for announcements, celebrations, executions and more. It would be the perfect spot for the small campaign to walk into; the enemy forces would be at the wall looking out for an attack. They would never suspect this-they didn't know that Traveling existed.

The second gateway was to be a very small one, just large enough for the Empress and her retinue to fit through. It would be on top of a mountain that overlooked Seandar. That would be simple enough, even if he didn't agree with it. It was foolish to have the Empress watch the battle, where the enemy could see her-even if it was on top of a mountain.

The third and final gateway would be opened onto a large beach that was near Seandar. With no ships in sight, the Seanchan would be confused and frightened as over one hundred thousand soldiers, three hundred pairs of _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, and thousands of exotics and their handlers suddenly appeared. It would be a terrifying scene for the Seanchan, especially those who didn't know that Travelling existed. Prince Knotai wanted Androl to make the largest gateway he could, so the entire army could walk through in a long, single line-shoulder to shoulder. That many people would fill up the entire beach, and give a greater illusion to numbers. The Prince knew that he was grossly outnumbered, and needed every advantage he could get.

The sun was high in the sky, about noon, and Androl knew it was time to begin. To his left was the group to go to Imfarel, in the center was the Empress and her entourage, and the right was the group to surround Seandar. Prince Knotai wanted every group to go at the same time, so that no one could give any warning to the other faction.

He looked one last time at the maps, and cleared his mind. Even with the overwhelming flow from the circle, he still needed to clear his mind for the task. He had opened small gateways over each of the destinations, to ensure that was where the Prince wanted him to make the gateways, but now it was time to make three gateways at once; two of them being extremely large ones.

"I'm ready, your Majesty, if your troops are prepared." Androl said, as he started to feel a bit nervous.

Prince Knotai nodded at Androl and galloped his horse to each section, making sure that they were ready to march.

"Be ready to march, and retake Seanchan for your Empress, may she live forever!" At the Prince's words, the soldiers erupted in shouts of joy and promises of glory for the Empress. Prince Knotai trotted his horse over to his force, and nodded his assent for Androl to make the gateways.

Taking a deep breath, Androl wove a massive flow of Spirit, and split it into three unequal sections. Then he took each flow of _Saidin_ and _Saidar_, each varying in intensity, and bore a hole in the Pattern, making it open up over each area , each one a different size. The largest was over three miles long, and the smallest was a few feet. He felt so alive as the torrent of Power raced through him, making him feel like could level a mountain. The three different divisions looked at the different sized gateways with nothing less than pure shock on their faces. The shock didn't last long, as each Banner General lifted a hand and moved it forward to usher their troops to march forward.

As quietly as an army over two hundred thousand could march, they moved swiftly through the massive gateways and through to Seanchan. The last of the campaign into Imfarel moved through the gateway, and suddenly there was no one left in the field. In less than ten minutes every Seanchan had been moved through the gateways-as had been promised. He allowed the gateways to wink shut and stood in awe. They had had no idea that he had been linked, they assumed it had been his own work all along. He wasn't sure how he liked that, but he wasn't about to let the Seanchan know that there had been helpless Aes Sedai and _Asha'man_ back in Remel. He held onto the massive flow of _Saidin_ and _Saidar_ flowing through him for one more moment- then reluctantly released the circle. As he had suspected, it was depressing to be back to his weak self.

"You did well, _Shan'asha'man_ Androl" said _Asha'man_ Pater.

"Thank you all for watching my back. For a moment there, I thought the Empress was going to decide the Dragon's Peace wasn't worth it, and collar me right there! I think having you there beside me kept her from making a foolish decision."

_Asha'man_ Joel opened a gateway, leading back to the inn in Remel. The Seanchan were gone, leaving a small retinue of soldiers in Ebou Dar to keep the peace in the lands they held. Light knew how long the Seanchan would be over there, fighting for their country, but he wondered if it might be prudent to sneak as many women and men out of Ebou Dar, and the surrounding countries, that could channel. It might break the Dragon's Peace, but he would approach the subject with _Tai'm'hael_ Logain,

Wearily, he walked through the gateway and back towards the inn, where he knew that Pevara would be waiting.

* * *

The clouds hid the full moon, making the square pitch black. The only light that shone was from the torches made a perimeter around the twenty foot tall wall. Those torches would destroy the night vision of any soldier trying to see out in the darkness, looking for an assault. It would also make it so that they didn't see his men moving in the shadows. Elbacu quickly pulled out an eye patch, and put it on, to maintain the night vision in at least one of his eyes. He heard the quiet shuffles of his men doing the same. He had up one finger and pointed north and towards the stables. Two fingers came next, and he pointed those east and towards a group of houses. He heard a quarter of his men leave with the fifty standardbearers, and quietly move north, in the shadows. Another quarter moved with another fifty standardbearers east. They had all left their horses with the remaining army, who had taken them with them to Seandar. Horses would not be needed here for this. They would be too noisy, and would prohibit the men from moving silently. His men were not here to wage war; they were here to bring these men to justice- to execute the traitors.

He silently looked around again, and held up three fingers which pointed south towards some more huts and shops. A quarter of the men slipped into the night, moving in that direction. The rest remained with Elbacu. Towards the west of Imfarel was where the richer homes were - those saved for the Lords. He knew that his brother would never sleep with his men, in the huts and stables. He would be in one of those homes, perhaps one that had belonged to the High Lord of Imfarel.

As he and his men moved silently through the streets, towards the manors, he saw the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ moving silently through each alley way, making their way through the streets. They had their orders to stop as many hearts as they could, focusing on finding the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ that Cicu had in his employ first. The _Sul'dam_ understood their orders; they were to kill the _Sul'dam_ and if they could-take the _damane _for the Empress. It always made him feel slightly ill to look at the _damane _and know what they could do with the One Power. It made him downright sick to look at the _marath'damane _and know that they were uncontrolled. He saw another _Sul'dam_, this time with two _damane_ leashed to her. The _Sul'dam_ were good at handling those _damane_; the one that had just been taken never even uttered a sound.

Some of his men split off, searching the nearby houses. Some would come back, their swords damp with blood. There was never a sound-never a cry made to warn anyone. His men were doing their jobs seamlessly. He could see the slain bodies of soldiers on the wall; smell the blood in the air. This was not his preferred way of dealing justice; he preferred to kill his enemy out in the open, in the field of war. As much as he didn't like the idea, he had to admit that Prince Knotai's plan was working flawlessly-so far. If the Light shone on them, they would be able to be able to join The Ever Victorious Army on the field of battle in Seandar within a few hours.

A large manor house stood where he knew it would be, standing on top of a small hill, looking down on the city. Several of his men moved around another building, and snuck onto the grounds. He waited by a large house that was empty. His men had done a very good job executing their orders; he hadn't seen anyone. He waited until he heard a blue jay's call. That was the signal that all was clear around the manor house. He walked towards the house, and froze as a bell began to peal in the night.

Three times the bell struck, with cries being called from the watchtower, and suddenly they were silenced. Elbacu cursed to himself silently, and started running towards the manor house, not caring if he was seen. Even if Cicu had been dead asleep, the guards inside the manor house would have woken him up when the alarm was rung. Behind him he heard steel clash on steel, as the soldiers who had not been slain awoke from their slumber ready to fight.

The door to the manor house was already wide open, and he could hear the sounds of fighting inside. He ran inside, the rest of his men behind him, and had to immediately go into The Falling Leaf form. His attacker was not as skilled as Elbacu would have thought, and he was easily able to move into the River Undercuts the Bank, cutting into the man's middle. The soldier immediately fell dead.

He ran up the staircase, which held majestic rugs depicting scenes of flowers and vines. There were dead men strewn all over the stairs, some his own. Twice he ran into enemy soldiers, but both times Stones Falling from the Mountain saved him from the enemy's sword and ended their lives at the same time. He knew his vain brother had to be up here, hiding in his apartments while his men died for him.

At the end of the upper hall, he saw a door being guarded by five men. He knew that this had to be where Cicu was hiding. He heard the fighting being quelled by his men downstairs, and felt two of his men come to stand beside him. Their breathing slowed to match his, as they started at the guards in front of them.

"How did you get past our guards and into the city?" one of the men asked, unsheathing his sword and holding it ready to strike at them.

"Does it matter? I'm here to kill the traitor, and you as well." And without another word, he rushed at the leader of the guards. Twisting the Wind was met by the Cyclone Rages. Elbacu quickly moved into the Courtier Taps His Fan, which was met by the Grapevine Twine-locking their blades together overhead. He struggled to move, but his opponent was evenly matched, strength for strength. He could feel his arms strain and his legs throb as he fought to gain an advantage. He looked his opponent in the eyes, and saw resolve. He knew that if he wanted to kill Cicu, he had to end this fight now, before all his strength and energy was gone. He braced himself, and saw his opponent do the same, obviously waiting for Elbacu to change forms. Instead, Elbacu quickly moved into Black Lance's Last Strike. The move was a risky one, putting him in harm's way if he missed. It was not a move that his opponent was anticipating, and Elbacu's blade found its target- slicing right into the man's neck. Blood came pooling out, and the man dropped to the floor.

He stopped to look around for a brief moment, and noticed that more of his men had come from downstairs to kill the remaining guards. He didn't stop to help- his brother should be in the other room waiting.

He walked to the massive oak door, and kicked it open with one stride. He hadn't bothered to try the handle; he wanted Cicu on the defensive, knowing that his time had come. The traitor would die.

As he had suspected, the apartments were lavish enough for the Empress, may she live forever. The sitting room had elaborately sung wooden chairs surrounding a magnificent marble fireplace. The fire was cold, but the ornate sconces were lit giving him a good view of the room. The round table, against the corner, held maps that he could only surmise were of Seandar. He walked carefully into the room, and froze as Cicu walked in from the bedchamber.

His brother looked nothing like he had, when Elbacu had last seen him. He had gained weight, putting on at least one hundred pounds, and looked tired. His clothes were nothing like his brother had worn in the past, being replaced by lavish red velvet and lace at the collar and cuffs. At his hip was a golden sword, showcased in a gold and red scabbard. The whole outfit looked ridiculous on him; those plump fingers would have a hard time keeping a hold of that ridiculously ornate sword. A part of him felt sorry for his brother- this would be too easy.

"Elbacu? Is that really you?" Cicu said, his eyes squinting in the light. "Have you finally come to take your place and join me?"

"Join you? No, my brother, I've come to kill you."

A look of shock and anger came across Cicu's face, and he reached to unsheathe his sword.

"You're working with Thethoc! That viper would use my own brother against me!" he spat, the rage causing his fat cheeks to turn red.

"Not him. I come from the true Empress, may she live forever, to deal justice in her name." He began to walk slowly towards his brother, trying to give his words more weight. Could Cicu not see the shame he had brought on his family, especially Elbacu, who was a Banner General in the Empress' guard?

"You can stop the lies, Elbacu. Everyone knows that the Empress has abandoned Seanchan. She is over the Aryth Ocean, busy ruling over there. It will take her months to return, and by then I will have gained the Crystal Throne for myself!" A hint of madness was plain in Cicu's eyes, and he was beginning to suck in air at a faster rate.

"There are many things that you do not understand, Cicu, but I will make you privy to one before I kill you. The Empress has returned to Seanchan. She just returned this very night to reclaim what is rightfully hers. This morning I awoke in the reclaimed eastern lands, and arrived in this town not an hour past. The _marath'damane_ have many tricks over there."

"You woke up over there and you're here now? That's… impossible." Cicu exclaimed, and Elbacu took the moment to strike as the shock sunk in. He quickly moved into Kingfisher Takes a Silverback and was surprised when Cicu quickly defended by using Parting the Silk. Elbacu cursed silently as Cicu's blade knicked his left forearm. He had misjudged his brother.

They moved from stance to stance, blades moving against each other; each trying to find flesh. River of Light was met by Watered Silk. The Viper Flicks Its Tongue was met by the River Undercuts the Bank. On and on it went, both gaining small cuts in their flesh as they fought.

"Perhaps it would have been better if you had decided to join me, brother, instead of kill me. Think of what we could accomplish together? You and I, ruling Seanchan together? We'd be unstoppable!" Cicu puffed out, trying to catch his breath.

"I would not join you, Cicu. I am loyal to the Crystal Throne and the Empress, may she live forever. You think that I would choose to stand by you -you who rebelled against your rightful ruler? You have brought nothing but shame on your family. I'm glad that our father and mother are no longer alive to bear the shame of what you've done."

He watched the sweat pour from Cicu's face, as he felt the blood pool around his boot. Cicu's velvet shirt was sticking to him, showing the lumps and bumps that he had gained. Elbacu knew that he would have to end this soon. As much as Cicu had dishonored the family by his actions, he did not deserve to die a slow and painful death from the cuts he was enduring. It was cruel to keep him going like this .

Cicu tried to stand straighter, and Elbacu knew what form he would take up next. It was Cicu's signature move- the one that had always meant a victory for him when he had been in the Imperial Army. His golden sword lashed out in Tower of Morning, quickly changing to The Courtier Taps His Fan. The move would have been enough to end Elbacu, if he hadn't known what was coming. He countered with Kissing the Adder, while Cicu's blade was up high trying for his head. Cicu's sweating hands lost their grip on the sword, and Elbacu's sword found its mark- straight into his brother's heart. Blood began to pour out of Cicu's mouth, as he fell down and off of Elbacu's sword.

"I am sorry, my brother. I wish this could have ended differently. I wish you would have remembered your place and who you are." He found himself saying, as Cicu's legs thrashed weakly- his lungs struggling for air. Elbacu stood, watching his brother die. He felt that he at least owed his family that. His brother may have been misguided, and a traitor, but he was still his brother.

After less than five minutes, Cicu had stopped moving and breathing. No doubt his extra weight made the process faster. Elbacu kneeled down, and closed his brother's eye, murmuring a prayer for his soul. He stood and looked around. The sounds of fighting were gone, as far as he could tell. The blood was still oozing from his leg, and he knew that he would have to have a _damane_ heal him, or he would pass out from blood loss He sheathed his sword and walked out of the room, leaving the body of his brother for others to attend to.

He was greeted by his captain, Sirek Lildoc, who saluted fist to heart at the sight of Elbacu.

"The town is secure, and all the reports are in. Over one hundred thousand of the enemy soldiers have been counted as dead. Fifty enemy _Sul'dam_ have been killed and five _damane_ were killed in the fighting. Forty _damane_ were taken by our _Sul'dam_. Ten thousand of our own men were killed, once the alarms began to ring. The archers were equally as good firing close up as they were far off. Over two hundred are wounded including yourself, and the _damane_ are seeing to those who will agree to this new healing. The rest that refuse healing are being tended to by the field healer. I have the men that are able to gathering what weapons and supplies they can find for our return to Seandar. I have sent a small force of fifty thousand to make sure that the Tower of Ravens is secured and all traitors killed. If all goes according to plan, we should be able to have the _damane_ make a gateway within the hour." He held in his hands a ledger that no doubt contained the entirety of what he had just detailed.

"Send for one of the _damane_, please. I have a few wounds that need healing before we go to Seandar. Also, I'll need a scribe to write out my account. The Prince will want a detailed account of everything that happened." If they had had more time to go to Seandar, he would have preferred the field healer to the _damane _using the Power on him. As it was, he would need to be at his full capacity when they went to Seandar to help in the fighting.

"Also, let the men know that if they refuse the healing from the _damane_, then they will be sitting out of the fighting at Seandar. I will not have a man die simply because he sustained a wound here and was too weak. We need our men to be at their best and strongest."

Captain Lildoc saluted again, and walked down the hall and then stairs to see that his orders were carried out. Elbacu stood, watching. He had done what he had come for; he had restored his family's honor. He had killed the traitor that had sought the throne for himself. So why did he feel so guilty? He reached into his rations bag, and pulled out a hard biscuit. He felt hungry as he bit off a chunk and started to chew. He had done what he had come for, he had restored the honor to his family, but part of him was heartbroken over the loss of his only brother. He was surprised to find tears starting to fall down his cheeks as he chewed. Maybe it would be alright to mourn the loss of his brother, for the loss of honor and a friend-no matter how misguided.


	19. Chapter 19: To Teach

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for you valuable input and edits!**_

Chapter Nineteen: To Teach

The common room at the inn called Wayland's Forge was crowded, while the _Asha'man_ and the Aes Sedai listened to Androl's account of everything that had happened. His report had been thorough, leaving nothing out, including the part where the Empress had tried to make the black _a'dam_ sound glorious. There had been sounds of disgust and horror at the thought - as he knew there would be. A part of him still felt sick at the thought of her offer. The fresh shock from the Aes Sedai and _Asha'man_ had reminded him of his idea.

"Would it break the Dragon's Peace if we were to sneak into the lands that the Seanchan hold, and find those who can channel and bring them back over to our side to avoid being collared?" he had asked.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, a verbal firestorm started. Many of the Aes Sedai were in favor and a few of the _Asha'man_ as well. His question had started a debate between the Aes Sedai who had just been released-they were for going to gather those who could channel- and a few Grey Sisters who were against it. Finally the Amyrlin spoke up, silencing the debate at once.

"If we were to sneak into the lands that the Seanchan hold, we would be in violation of the Dragon's Peace, period. The Dragon's Peace strictly says that the Seanchan are allowed to hold the _damane_ that they have, and collar anyone that they find- _only_ in their lands. If we go in and start carrying out those who can channel, but haven't been discovered yet, it will start a civil war. A war that we _cannot_win." She slowly said each word of the last sentence, letting it sink in fully. They would not be able to win a war against that many channelers, not in their weakened state. "The Seanchan will be able to retaliate by going into our lands, and collaring anyone they wish."

"I agree with the Amyrlin."_Tai'm'hael _ Logain had voiced, after Cadsuane's words. "The Dragon's Peace protects us from their collars by ensuring that they cannot come against us. Your idea was a good one, _Shan'asha'man_ Androl, but it is far too dangerous. We will have to think of another way to free those who wish to be freed."

Of course that had not been the end of the debate, and the Aes Sedai and _Asha'man_ had discussed where the Dragon's Peace was vague, and if there was any loopholes that they could expose-to free those who would eventually be collared. Everyone had agreed that there was not much that they could do for the _damane_, but they couldn't agree if there was a loophole to gather any who could channel and rescue them before they were collared. Finally it was agreed that the Brown, Grey and White Sisters would all work together, pouring over the Dragon's Peace contract to see if there was any area that they could exploit so that they could rescue those yet to be collared in the Eastern lands.

The sun was beginning to set, a deep red glowing ball on the horizon, when _Tai'm'hael_ Logain, Androl, Pevara Sedai, and the others finally left to go back to the Black Tower. Androl had made the gateway back home himself, only needing to link with Pevara for strength. It was strange how tired he was after making those three large gateways. He had only held them open for about ten minutes, but he was not used to maintaining such a large amount of _Saidar_ and S_aidin_ at a time.

The Black Tower stood like a welcoming beacon as the group walked through the gateway out of Remel. He could see the area that had once held Mazrim Taim's palace, cleared out, and the markings had had begun to spring up to plan out the new Black Tower. _Tai'm'hael_ Logain's vision had been a masterpiece, and many of the men couldn't wait to start the project. There were several men that had been master stonemasons, carpenters, and carvers before they had come to the Black Tower. They were already taking the lead on the construction of the building.

_Asha'man_ Jahar and Merise Sedai broke off from the group, as did the remaining _Asha'man._ It was getting late, and everyone wanted to get to their homes, eat their evening meals, and find their beds.

"_I'm going to see the other Aes Sedai, first. I suspect that you still have some work to do. I'll meet with you in a few hours." _ Pevara thought, and she walked her horse in another direction, leaving Androl and _Tai'm'hael _Logain to walk their horses to the barracks where they slept.

"You really did well, today, _Shan'asha'man._ Not many men would have kept their heads as clear as you did, in light of the Empress' words. You didn't allow her to rattle you, and remained calm." _Tai'm'hael_ Logain said, not looking at Androl.

It was childish, but Androl felt himself sit up a bit straighter at the _Tai'm'hael_'s words. It was a high praise indeed. Androl was no fool; he knew that he was the weakest man at the Black Tower, but the fact that he had been raised so high, despite that lack, showed how fair of a man the _Tai'm'hael_ was.

A Watchman took their horses, as they came near their barracks. Surprisingly the men hadn't minded the recent ranks changes- taking to them right away. They had seemed to enjoy the new ranks, being given a chance to study and learn what they wished. As they both walked into the barracks, they were met by another Watchman, who saluted fist to chest.

"Pardon the intrusion _Tai'm'hael _and _Shan'asha'man_, but I was told to make you aware that there is man in your study, _Tai'm'hael_. He insisted upon speaking with you as soon as you returned."

"Did he give a name, Watchman Gedhold?" Logain asked, and Androl thought he heard agitation in his voice.

"He did, _Tai'm'hael._ He said his name was Pel Dacan. I'm sorry, _Tai'm'hael_, I tried to persuade him to wait until the morning, but he would not be dissuaded. He claims that he isn't here to learn to channel, but there is something about the man. I found it hard to resist his request."

"One of the escaped traitors?" Androl asked, immediately taking hold of _Saidin_. He didn't know what he would be able to do against one of the _Asha'man_ who had gone over to the Shadow, but he would not go up there unprepared.

"Perhaps, but why would he just sit up there waiting for me? Every man here knows the faces of those who had gone to the Shadow." Androl felt Logain seize _Saidin_. "I want a full guard unit by my study door, incase this man turns out to be one of those renegade _Asha'man."_

"I'll see to it right away, _Tai'm'hael._" Androl said, saluting and making a gateway right next to where he stood. If this man was one of the men who had gone over to the Shadow, time would be of the essence.

* * *

A part of Logain wanted to lash out at this Watchman Gedhold. How dare anyone let someone sit in his study, no matter who he was? He was finding it rather hard to hold onto his temper, especially with the day's events.

He walked up the stairs, being trailed by Watchman Gedhold, and feeling his anger start to boil. First the Empress had tried to convince Androl that his life would be better served with one of those filthy collars around his neck. How dare she insinuate that the Black Tower was unable to train their men? They had tried everything that they could think of to get Androl to grow in strength. The man had just stopped growing, even though his impressive skill at making gateways had grown. Now this stranger had just walked in, demanded to be brought into his study, and his men had allowed it! He had to stop himself from taking out his agitation on the Watchman.

He seized the raging torrent that was _Saidin_ even harder, holding onto it like a lifeline. Whoever was in his study would be sorry that he ever stepped foot back in the Black Tower. As he reached his study door, he heard the guard unit he had requested, behind him. Androl had gathered twelve of the strongest _Asha'man_ he could gather in the time he had been given. He could feel that all of them held onto _Saidin_. He could feel more power radiating from Androl; the man must have grabbed one of the _angreal_.

"_Shan'asha'man_ Androl, with me. The rest of you stand outside this door. The code word, for you to enter, will be 'united'." He said, and the men assumed their positions to either side of the study door, hands on their swords

Logain put his hand on the handle, and opened the door.

* * *

Pel Dacan sat on the hard backed chair holding a pot of soil, waiting. He had been sitting in this very chair for hours waiting for the _Tai'm'hael_ to return. Pel's face broke into a smile at the thought of the name change. He smiled at every change the Black Tower had made, from changing the ranks of the men to building an actual Black Tower. It was good to see that the men were taking his last lesson to heart.

As he sat there, waiting, he started to feel a bit nervous. Perhaps he had been too anxious to come to the Black Tower- to train the men to sing. He had been so excited after talking with Loial that all he could think about was the next step. Now that he was here, he was beginning to second-guess himself. He couldn't channel- there was nothing there at all anymore. From what he had heard, a man or woman who burned themselves out at least could feel the Source in the distance, but could never reach it. There was no light-there was nothing except the Pattern. Here he was, waiting for the _Tai'm'hael_ and he would be at his mercy, he couldn't defend himself. What if Logain wouldn't even let him explain what he was about? This was truly the first time that he felt nerves get to him, and he forced it down as he heard voices outside the door.

He couldn't make out what they were saying, but he knew that Logain would soon enter, so he adapted the most non-threatening pose he could think of. He sat, hands holding a small pot of soil, and tried to look as innocent as he could. He could only hope that Logain would give him the few moments that he needed.

The door opened, and in walked _Tai'm'hael _Logain and another man that Pel had never seen before. Both wore the black coats, with the dragon and sword pins. Pel wouldn't have been able to tell that Logain was the leader of the Black Tower, by the way he dressed, and Pel approved. Mazrim had set himself above the men, looking down on those below him. A good leader would be one that led from within, winning his men's trust.

The two men walked in, both with looks like they would break the ground under Pel's feet, if he so much as moved wrong. They had no reason to trust him, but there was such hardness around Logain's eyes that it made Pel want to weep. He had been too hard on Logain, had thrown to much responsibility on him from the beginning. There were so many things that he wished he could have done differently, if only he had learned his lesson sooner.

"Not many men get the privilege of waiting in my private study." Logain said, with a hint of agitation in his voice. "What's your name, and what do you want? I've had a very long day, and I don't feel like beating around the bush."

Fair enough, Pel had heard how the White Tower and _Asha'man_ had just helped the Seanchan. He knew all too well how exhausting working and dealing with the Seanchan could be. He carefully stood, still holding the pot of soil in his hands.

"My name is Pel Dacan, and I've come to see if I can teach you and the _Asha'man._"

"If you want to learn to channel, boy, then you needn't have wasted all this time waiting in my study! Any of the _Asha'man_ could have tested you, to see if you can channel, or learn to channel." Logain's face grew even harder as he spoke, and Pel knew that he had to show him right away, or he would be tossed out without a word.

He looked down at the small pot and began to sing.

"My love is gone, carried away,  
by the wind that shakes the willow,  
and all the land is beaten hard,  
by the wind that shakes the willow."

As he sang, a small shoot began to break from the packed dirt, slowly ascended up, as it started to grow. The thin green stalk started to grow thicker as he sang.

"What are you doing?" Logain said, but Pel paid no heed and continued to sing.

"But I will hold her close to me  
in heart and dearest memory,  
and with her strength to steel my soul,  
her love to warm my heart-strings,  
I will stand where we once sang,  
though cold wind shakes the willow."

As the words flowed from him the stalk grew stronger and taller, gaining bright green leaves. The stalk continued to grow higher and a bud formed. The words flowed into the earth, and the bud burst open, revealing dark purple petals. As Pel's song died down, the once empty pot now held a majestic purple wildflower. Logain and the other man just stared at Pel and the flower, not saying a word, as if the flower held them by some force. Finally the other man spoke.

"I didn't feel him channeling, _Tai'm'hael_. I can't sense that he can channel at all."

"I didn't sense anything either, _Shan'asha'man_ Androl." Logain turned his attention to Pel. "How did you do that? Did you channel it?

"I cannot channel, not any longer. The ability was lost when I was put into this body."

Recognition dawned in Logain's eyes, and shock replaced the anger that had been there a moment before.

"Lord Dragon? How…"

"I am not the Lord Dragon any longer. As for how, the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. I have no answer for how I am in this body, or how I retain my memories, but I have come to heal the land. The Dragon broke the land, destroying all the knowledge that was held during the Age of Legends. I remember how to create, the weaves required to make items of Power, how to sing the earth to life. I have come to serve and teach, if you will have me."

The reaction to the revelation that he had been the Dragon was still on the faces of Logain and Androl. He could see the confusion in their faces. He sat back down, after placing the pot with the bloomed flower on the desk.

"I can see that this a lot to take in, so please let me elaborate. I have come only to serve the Black Tower. No one, but you two, can know who I was. There are people across the continent that know, but they are only a handful. The more people who know the more that I could be used as leverage for or against them. I want to heal, to restore everything that I destroyed thousands of years ago. I may not be able to channel any longer, but I can tell you the weaves needed to make things, and your men could figure it out."

"You could teach us to make things grow like that?" Logain said, looking at the flower. "But how? You said you couldn't channel."

"Singing isn't a thing of the Power. It is a thing of the earth. It is singing to the ground, coaxing the energy to move bit faster so that the plants will grow. The Ogier can sing, and they cannot channel. It's about being in tune with the land. If a channeler channels, while others are singing, the effect is magnified and spread across the area. One can only spread the song so far, but with channelers added we can move the song deeper into the earth."

"How could you show us how to create items of Power, since you can't channel yourself?" Androl asked, the shock worn away, intrigue replacing it.

"That will be a bit harder, I think. I can't have the men see me explaining how something is done-not without a lot of questions. I could, however, write out the weaves needed and the description of how to put those flows into an object to make _angreal_ and _ter'angreal_. I think that the right man, who wanted to study this topic, would be able to decipher the instructions and make something. It would be trial and error, but it could work."

"Yes, that could work." Logain said, lost in thought. "I could put you in one of the houses here. We could tell the men that you are here to teach them how to sing. Maybe if we had some Ogier around, it would help. Then we could work out how move the flows with the song. At night, or when you weren't teaching, you could write out the instructions on how to make the items of Power, and how to make different ones."

"Didn't the Aes Sedai find a _ter'angreal_ that contained a library that no one could decipher? It was in a language no one recognized, and only a man could use it." Androl said, excitement starting to show in his words.

"Yes, if you retain as much knowledge as you say, maybe you could read it. Androl, please go send a man for the item, and send the guards away. We have much to discuss here, with Master Pel. I wouldn't want anyone to hear what they shouldn't." Logain said, as he grabbed a thick piece of paper. He dipped his quill into the ink jar and began to write.

Androl saluted, and quickly walked out the door. His excitement had been evident, and Pel smiled. This had gone how he had hoped. The world would be made right, and restored to what it had once been.

"I would put you in the barracks, next to me, but I'm afraid that would raise too many questions, my Lord Dragon."

"It's Pel Dacan, _Tai'm'hael._ The Wheel has no need for a Dragon right now. "

Logain turned from his writing and looked at Pel.

"I'm sorry; I'll have to watch myself. Light, I never thought that I would see you again. I have so many questions for you, so many things I want to talk to you about. The face isn't the same, but your eyes are. Those light grey eyes; I would know those anywhere. I'm just so glad that you can be here now, to see the Black Tower grow to what you wanted it to be. All of these men are here, now, because of you."

"You've done well, _Tai'm'hael._ I'm sorry that it has taken me this long to come to the Black Tower, to see what you've accomplished. Your title suits you; you are the True Leader of these men."

As Pel said the words, he could see a weight being lifted off of Logain's shoulders, as if he had doubted that very thing. To hear the confirmation from Pel had erased the question in his mind. Pel couldn't help but grin; the healing of the land wasn't the only thing that would happen. He also had to heal the hearts of the men that he had used and hurt. This was his life's goal now. The land, and the men and women in it, would be whole again.


	20. Chapter 20: The Siege Begins

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for your edits, especially during this busy holiday season!**_

Chapter Twenty: The Siege Begins

The sky was black, the moon hidden behind a thick layer of clouds. The sky to the west roiled with thundering black clouds. Lightning could be seen from where Mat stood, but to his estimate the storm was still hours off. At least he hoped that it was miles off. He would be bloody angry if he got all soaked during this attack.

His army stood perfectly still, shoulder to shoulder, stretching out across the expanse of beach that lay in front of Seandar. Fifty pairs of _Sul'dam _and _damane_ had gone to still the captains of the boats that had seen their sudden arrival. Mat couldn't have this part of the plan go wrong. If even one of those fishermen ran to Seandar, and sounded the warning that they had arrived, it would destroy every advantage he had.

An hour passed, and the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ returned from disposing of the ships in the harbor. Each pair had jumped on a ship, inverted their weaves, and sailed them out to the middle of the ocean where they would be out of sight-with the crews tied up in weaves of air that would dissipate in a few hours. From there, they Skimmed back to the shore line. He wanted the harbor completely empty of ships. He wanted Thethoc completely terrified out of his mind when he saw that this army had appeared from nothing-taking the ships away with their arrival.

Another hour passed, and Mat was starting to grow anxious. Everything hinged on Banner–GeneralElbacu. His army wouldn't be able to move in the darkness in Seandar, like Elbacu's men could in Imfarel. He needed to make sure that Cicu was properly disposed of first, then move on from there.

"Your Highness, there is a soldier with a report for you." Captain Tinnu said. He hadn't known Tinnu for very long, but he trusted that he wouldn't let some assassin in-well as much as he trusted any of the Seanchan.

"Let him through." Mat said. Hopefully this man brought good news of the campaign in Imfarel. That storm was getting closer, and he really didn't want to get wet. He would rather have this whole thing over and done with before the storm arrived.

"Your Majesty?" a soldier said, bowing low. "Banner General Elbacu has sent word that he has been successful, and will return within the hour."

"It's about bloody time!" Mat said, feeling relief wash over him. One usurper down, one to go. It was just in the nick of time, too. They needed to start this battle before day break, while the people still slept. Sleepy people made for sloppy soldiers. They made mistakes that rested men wouldn't normally make.

"Send the signal to the Empress' _Sul'dam_." He ordered. Tinnu saluted and galloped off to where the _Sul'dam_ stood, waiting for their orders. The first part of the battle was completely up to the _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ The army was just to sit there and wait while the _damane_ stirred the anthill to action. Then, it would be time to kill.

* * *

Min sat on her horse, Mist, trying hard to see much of anything. She had no idea why she had been ordered to come with the Empress, but she had been unable to say no. Pel had asked her to do what she could to unite the nations, guiding the Empress in the right direction. That meant she had to be where the Empress was, no matter how foolish. She had no idea what the Empress had been thinking, why she had decided that she had to be here during the battle. She could have had a _damane_ open a gateway overhead, and watch everything that happened from the safety of Ebou Dar, but nothing she or Mat had said had made any difference.

She sat next to Fortuona, who sat staring intently at the city below her. They were several leagues up in the air, on a mountain covered by trees. She could see no difference between standing here and watching, and watching in Ebou Dar.

"This is foolish." She said, knowing that her status as Truthspeaker gave her the right to speak up without fear of retribution. "Why are you sitting here, hiding? There is no difference in sitting here watching the battle, and watching from a Gateway back in Ebou Dar! What do you hope to accomplish here, Empress?

Fortuona turned cool eyes on here, only seen by the dim glowing lights the _damane_ held. No one below would be able to see those lights, thankfully, and it helped the small group to move around the area without stumbling and falling.

"I've explained this to you and to Knotai several times. I am needed here as a symbol to my men who fight for me. If I was safe in Ebou Dar, there would not be as much need for haste to protect me, to secure Seanchan. The siege could last months, or longer. With me being here, it makes the men work harder, faster, to secure the Throne. Also, I want to kill Thethoc myself."

"You could have killed Thethoc yourself, Empress. Once he is captured, a _damane_ could make a gateway right to where he stood, and you could kill him. You have Knotai's stomach all in knots, worrying over your safety. He won't be able to think clearly." She argued back.

"Knotai will work all the harder, to ensure that the Throne is gained this day, to make sure that I am safe. I appreciate your concern, Darbinda, but I will not change my mind."

Suddenly, the area right in front of them lit up, as if a hundred fireflies were suddenly flying right in front of them. The lights blinked four times, and were still.

"It's time." Fortuona said, wiggling her fingers at Selucia.

"_Sul'dam_, have the _damane_ invert their weaves, and start the rock slide." Selucia voiced for the Empress.

Min watched as the _Sul'dam_ led the _damane_ to the edge of the trees. She knew that the three _damane_ would have their weaves inverted, but she still felt a moment of panic as she felt the ground start to shake. The _damane_ channeled, as their _Sul'dam_ pointed to where they were to aim those weaves. As the _Sul'dam_ pointed, rocks began to fall away from the mountain. At first it was just a few rocks, but as the _damane_ continued to channel, tons of rocks started to fall. It felt like the entire mountain was trying to collapse on itself, and fall on Seandar.

Finally, after five minutes of channeling the rockslide, the _Sul'dam_ had the _damane_ stop channeling, and all was still on the mountain. Min held her breath as the mountain stopped trembling. Below she could hear the screams and shouts of people in Seandar, as rocks rained down on their homes. She could only hope that there were not many innocent people hurt.

The _Sul'dam_ led the _damane_ back to where Fortuona, Selucia, and Min sat trying to calm their nervous horses.

"You did well, S_ul'dam_" Selucia voiced for Fortuona, and the _Sul'dam_ beamed from the high praise from the Empress. Min turned her attention back down the mountain, to where Seandar sat. Mat's army was out there, waiting for the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ inside Seandar to alert Thethoc that there were channelers on the beach. She could only hope that this part of the plan worked, and Thethoc fell for the trap.

* * *

The lights in Thethoc's study were still glowing bright, having been refilled with oil a couple hours past. In the corner, his _da'covale_ sat kneeling in case he wanted anything in this late hour. As had been his habit of late, he sat up pouring over the maps of Seandar, Imfarel, and the surrounding lands. He had to end this ridiculous war over the Crystal Throne with Cicu, and soon. It was costing him valuable _damane_ with every excursion.

He rubbed his smooth head absently. It still felt strange to him to have shaved off all of his hair, when he had claimed the Crystal Throne for himself. All ten of his fingernails were still growing, but had been lacquered a bright blue. He would catch himself staring at the gorgeous blue color, and smile. He was the Emperor, and would make Cicu see that fact soon enough. That traitor would bow before the Crystal Throne, and beg for his forgiveness-right before Thethoc slit his throat himself.

A _da'covale_ silently walked in, leaving a tray of hot _kaf_ and fresh honey rolls from the kitchen. His _da'covale_ knew that he liked to work late, and have a snack while he worked. He stood up from the table he had been working at-a majestic mahogany table with _s'redit_ carved on the legs. He walked on dark satin slippers to the small table, which held the _kaf_ and rolls. His silk robes whisked softly as he walked. Not for the first time, he smiled to himself. This palace was where he belonged- he had always belonged here.

The _da'covale_ poured a steaming cup of _kaf_ for him, bowing low and proffering it to him on his fingertips. Most of the _da'covale_ in the Palace had been here when he had taken command, and they were very well trained. The previous Empress had done a commendable job on their training. Now, they were his _da'covale_ and did an excellent job in making sure that their Emperor's every need was seen to.

He took the cup in his fingertips, and brought the cup to his nose, inhaling the bitter strong scent deeply. There was something so soothing about the scent; how it excited his senses at the aroma, and relaxed at the same time. He took at small sip, and sighed inwardly. The bitter taste always had a way of relaxing every part of him, erasing the problems that he was having in Seanchan.

He took another small sip, and suddenly the ground began to shake around him. It was enough that some of the _kaf_ spilled on his robes.

"Kenu!" he bellowed and his _so'jin_ came running from the room adjacent to his. Thethoc could barely place the cup down, without spilling more, as the shakes continued to come.

"Your Excellency, are you injured?"

"No, I'm not injured! Go get a report of what's happening! If Cicu has managed to breach the security perimeter, I want to know! And send a _da'covale_ with a change of clothes!" he looked down at the now ruined silk, holding it away from his flesh. The _kaf_ hadn't been so hot as to scald his flesh, but he would see that the _da'covale_ who had brought the _kaf_ beaten. He would send the _da'covale_ to be beaten himself, but he would not lower his eyes by speaking to this _da'covale_ himself. He was the Emperor!

In less than two minutes his guard unit was around him, and another _da'covale_ was beside him changing his silks. The ground continued to shake, and he could hear the screams from outside beginning to sound. Whatever Cicu was about, he would pay dearly for this assault.

Kenu was back before Thethoc was finished being dressed, a report in hand. Bowing low, he began his report.

"My eyes are lowered forever, your Greatness. The city is under attack. A massive amount of channeling is being detected by the _Sul'dam_ coming from the harbor, by the beachfront. The reports tell of enormous rocks falling from the mountain, so enormous that it would not occur naturally. We can see nothing, as the sky is covered in clouds, but we must assume that Cicu has planned an assault."

Massive amounts of channeling? Cicu had less than one hundred _Sul'dam _and _damane_ in his employ, so there was no way that this could be his work - not unless he had secured many more _damane_ that Thethoc's spies had not seen. Suddenly a spike of fear drove straight through him. It couldn't be, couldn't it?

"It's not Cicu." He said, with no emotion. She had come back, but how? His spies said that she was tied up in the reclaiming of the Eastern lands that she wouldn't be able to come back for years to reclaim the Crystal Throne; by that time his reign would be secure. "It's the Daughter of the Nine Moons. It has to be. Who else would have that many _damane_ at their disposal? All reports say that she's been collaring hundreds of _marath'damane_."

"But your reports, your Majesty! They claim that she is in the middle of a battle for control in the Eastern lands, and will be tied up for months-if not years!"

"The reports are wrong, Kenu! She is here, and all of our lives are in danger! Send my captains and generals to me at once. We have to protect and defend, but also make the Daughter of the Nine Moons sorry she ever decided to come back. I will not give back the Throne- it is mine! Also, see that the _da'covale_ that brought me the _kaf_ is beaten. He allowed the _kaf_ to spill on me, and destroyed my clothing."

The ground was still shaking, as Kenu bowed his way out to see that Thethoc's instructions were carried out. If the Daughter of the Nine Moons was back, he would make her sorry that she ever returned. This _was_ his land now, and he would not give it back without a fight.

* * *

"Now!" Mat cried, as the sound from the rock slide hit his ears. The cracking and groaning as the rocks started to fall would surely wake anyone. He felt his foxhead medallion grow cold as all the _damane_ embraced the Source. They began weaving lights, making the ground shake in Seandar, whatever they could do to alert Thethoc to their arrival. After five minutes, the rockslide finished, and he heard his captains start yelling the next round of orders.

"Wing Captains, take flight!" one of the Captains of the Air yelled, and hundreds of _raken_ and _to'raken_ leapt into the air. On their backs was either _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ or archers with bows. They soared into the night without a sound. As they neared Seandar, balls of fire were suddenly falling from the sky; lightning began to fall from the clouds killing and burning. Where there was not fire or lightning, a hail of arrows descended down on the people below. Mat sat on Pips watching the entire exchange. Occasionally a ball of fire would shoot up at one of the _to'raken_, but it was easily dodged and the _damane_ who shot at the _to'raken_ would be quickly killed by the _damane_ in the air.

"Captain Himu, see if those _damane_ here can start attempting to stop the hearts of the soldiers firing on our people." Mat said, and the captain saluted in response. It would only be a matter of time now, and they would be marching forward to battle. This air strike could only last so long-the _damane _would grow tired. He needed to make sure that they were rotated and rested.

"Prepare the ground troops, Captain Fakair. I want the city surrounded before Thethoc has a chance to think of escape." Mat ordered, not even looking to make sure that his orders were heard and obeyed. The moment that the assault had started, every captain in his command had gathered near him for their orders. It was still at least four hours until sunrise and he wanted to have most of this fighting finished before then.

* * *

A flash of lightning nearly toppled Livela and her _damane_ Susa off the back of the _to'raken_ they were riding. She trusted Assell, the handler and controller of this _to'raken_, but that lightning bolt had come too close to killing them.

A movement on the ground caught her attention, and through the _a'dam_ she knew that Susa had seen it too.

"Fire!" she yelled, even though she knew that she hadn't needed to. Susa was a good _damane_ and responded well to her commands, especially the ones that Livela didn't even speak. It was if they could read each other's minds.

A ball of fire flew from Susa's fingertips, and struck the archer in the chest. Livela could hear the archer scream, and fall off of the wall, sending sparks flying as he fell. Livela watched as the man fell into a pile of straw, and the entire pile burst into flames. The Empress, may she live forever, would be greatly angered if her Capitol burned.

She pointed at the flames, and Susa channeled a weave of water from the clouds, sending water to quench the flames.

"Susa's a good _damane_. Susa did well." She said, feeling Susa's anxiety over the potential destruction that the weave of fire could have made.

Livela continued to scan the area below, searching for the enemy. She hated to think of killing the _damane_ in this, but it couldn't be helped. The _damane_ were not to blame for their _Sul'dam_'s actions. Those poor _damane_ should be in the capable hands of the _Sul'dam_ that came with the Empress, may she live forever. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two figures move in the darkness, one with the glow of _Saidar_. She pointed, and Susa channeled a flow of air and spirit, stopping the hearts of the two figures. She watched as the glow of _Saidar_ winked out, feeling remorse at the loss of a _damane_. Such a waste, especially when the Empire needed all the _damane_ they could get.

She could feel Susa starting to tire from the channeling, and motioned to Assell to turn back to the beach. She had trained _damane_ long enough to know when they were too tired to go on. Susa would never complain about the exhaustion, Susa was a good _damane_ and knew better then to voice her fatigue. A _damane_ needed to learn to trust that her _Sul'dam_ knew what was best for her and that her _Sul'dam_ would protect her at all costs, but until the _Sul'dam_ said to stop channeling the _damane_ channeled- no matter how tired the _damane_ was.

The massive _to'raken_ changed direction, shifting smoothly as it moved towards the beach. She would have to see that Susa received an extra pudding tonight, with her supper. Susa had been pushed nearly to her limit, and her fatigue was evident through the _a'dam_. Livela felt the rush of cool air on her face, and let herself exhilarate in the feeling of flying. She had always wanted to be a _morat'raken_- she would have even settled for being a _morat'to'raken_, but she had tested true for being a _Sul'dam_. Everyone had their place in the Empire, yet it still felt nice to dream about flying and training the _raken._

"Mistress!" came the shocked cry from Susa. Susa knew better then to speak to her without permission, and she was about to send a blow through the _a'dam_ when she caught sight of what had frightened Susa. On the wall, nearer to the beach, stood a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_- the _damane_ with the glow of _Saidar_ around her. Before Livela could command Susa to channel, a weave of fire burst from the _damane_ on the wall-straight at them. Less than a heartbeat later, the fire ball hit the _to'raken_ right in the belly, causing the creature to scream a death curdling scream.

"Don't look down!" she heard Assell scream, but she couldn't stop herself. She had dreamed of flying, but never trained with them- she didn't know how to not look down. The ground was coming to meet them faster and faster, and she heard Susa screaming in panic. Livela would have screamed too, if she hadn't been so frightened. She had dreamed of flying, even being in a freefall, but never had expected to be in one. As the ground moved faster towards them, a feeling of sorrow hit her. Not sorrow for her death, but sorrow that she would never live to help the Empress, may she live forever, reclaim Seanchan from the usurper, never see Seanchan being returned to its former glory and power. As the _to'raken _hit the ground, she tried to scream in pain, but nothing came out. All was darkness.


	21. Chapter 21: Decisions

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for you valuable**_** edits!**

Chapter Twenty One: Decisions

The midafternoon hour had come and gone, and Setalle Anan had still not had anything to eat. She had been stuck inside, answering the Brown Ajah's questions for hours, and it was still not over yet. No one had believed who she had been- Martine Janata. She had a feeling that even when the Brown sisters were done with her, that the questioning would still go on from other sisters. She had been a fool to come back, and expect to just be Healed based on her word alone.

When she had heard that Nynaeve Sedai had discovered how to heal Severing, she had not hesitated to run back to the White Tower. What woman in her right mind would want to live without _Saidar_? She had lived with that constant beckoning of the Source, like the sun's promise of warmth and light, but she hadn't been able to embrace it on over twenty years. Even after twenty years of practice, she still had a hard time not breaking down in tears when she thought of what she had lost.

She had gone to Illian, to look for Jasfer, after the Last Battle, only to find that he wasn't there- none of her family was. Every question she had asked had led to only more questions. No one had seen Jasfer in over a year and they no idea where he, or her children, had gone. It troubled her greatly and it was in Illian that she decided to go back to the White Tower for this new Healing. If she could learn to Travel, the way the other Sisters did, then she could make her search that much faster. It had seemed like a wonderful idea- until now. She had given detailed answers to the Browns, the Whites, the Greens, and even some Reds, and they still questioned her. The Amyrlin, Cadsuane Sedai, had even asked several questions that only she could know. What were they waiting for?

"You claim that one of your last acts as Aes Sedai was channeling the Silver Arches for Tarna Feir, as she was raised to Accepted. If that is true, what happened during the testing?" Serafella Sedai asked. Setalle had known her, when she had been in the Tower, had consulted with her on a few things, but she hadn't remembered Serafella being in the testing chamber.

"What happened? Nothing out the usual happened, Serafella Sedai. If memory serves me correctly, you weren't even in the chamber at the time. The only odd thing, if it can be called odd, was that Tarna Feir didn't show any emotion. Most novices are at least upset by the things they see in the testing, but Tarna was emotionless. When the Amyrlin, Tamra Ospenya, poured the last goblet of water over her and put the ring on her finger, the look on Tarna's face was cold and arrogant." She was growing weary of this questioning, and her stomach was not happy to miss the afternoon meal.

"Would you excuse us for one minute?" Serafella Sedai asked as she gathered the rest of the Aes Sedai. Setalle couldn't see the weaves, but she could only surmise that they had had channeled a ward against listening. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she was starting to get really irritated at how they had been treating her. Had she ever been this haughty as an Aes Sedai? Surely she had treated people better then she had been treated! She couldn't really remember how she had treated those around her when she had been an Aes Sedai- it had been a lifetime ago. She had been so caught up in her studies of _angreal_ and _ter'angreal_ that she hadn't had much time for anything else. It had been the Kin, and marrying Jasfer, that had taught her how to treat people. She had learned by example.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the Aes Sedai breaking apart and coming back to her.

"We are convinced that you are who you say you are." Said Serafella, her tone even and cold.

"But, we are unable to help you in the way that you wish." said Callil Sedai. She was of the White Ajah and pure logic all the way. Setalle hadn't known her from the past, but that hadn't stopped her from attending this meeting.

"If an Aes Sedai attempts to heal severing in a woman, that woman is left weaker in the Power than she was before. The only way to regain your previous strength is to have an _Asha'man _heal you." Callil Sedai continued.

"We can have a Gateway made for you to the Black Tower, with orders for one of the _Asha'man_ to heal you, if you wish. For now we will have a servant bring up a tray for you. You must be hungry after all the questions." That came from Bellidine Sedai of the Green Ajah, another woman that Setalle hadn't known during her time in the Tower.

Setalle could feel her anger starting to rise, as the Aes Sedai continued to talk. They couldn't Heal her, but they had insisted upon questioning her for hours? And to top it all off they thought that they could order the _Asha'man_ to do their bidding?

"Thank you, Aes Sedai." was all that she could say. She was afraid to say anything else lest she tell these Aes Sedai what she really thought.

"Once you have been Healed you will not have to go through the testing to become Aes Sedai again. That was our reason for questioning you as much as we did. There have been many women who have been stilled for punishment of crimes. Now that it is known that stilling can be healed, we must make sure to not inadvertently heal one that was stilled for her crimes." Bellidine Sedai said, as a servant came in with a tray piled with steaming food. Behind the first servant came another with a tray full of teacups and a pot of tea.

The servant poured tea for all of the Sisters and for her. Setalle carefully sipped the hot tea while waiting for the food that the servants were preparing. It made sense to want to be careful, but all Sisters knew what it looked like, to the mind's eye, to see severing and burning out. She knew what it looked like from her previous life! One was a clean looking cut, the other looked more snapped and almost as if the ends had been singed. She understood the reasoning, but it still angered her that they had wasted so much time.

At long last one of the servants handed her a plate piled high with cuts of beef, cheeses, and sliced fruit. She began to eat the food while holding the plate, and the Aes Sedai drew chairs up to join her.

"I would like to know what you have been up to, all these years, Martine! Tell us everything." Serafella asked, and Setalle sighed. Lunch would be a slow process with telling everything that she had gone through in the past twenty years. Swallowing a lump of cheese, she began her tale.

* * *

Jimorn of the Jarra sept of the Charenn Aiel sat outside of Wise One Amys' tent near Rhuidean, hands folded with his spears at his feet. He had walked the entire way from Shende Hold when the Wise One Sorilea had found out he could channel. He had not understood the request from Sorilea, as every man who could channel had the _ji_'_e'toh_ to go off to Shayol Ghul and try to kill the Dark One. That purpose was gone now that the _Car'a'carn_ had resealed the Dark One in his prison, but he still had the right to go off alone into the Three Fold Land and die. Why was the Wise One withholding his right to die with much _ji?_

He continued to sit in perfect stillness as he watched the buzz of Aiel move about in Rhuidean. The endless fog that he had heard about was no longer there and thousands of Aiel moved freely about, either making repairs, planting seeds, or off on their own jobs. He would have liked to help with the rebuilding of Rhuidean; there could be no greater honor then to help rebuild the great city. He had been training to be a Thunder Walker, a _Sha'mad Conde, _for the past year when they had heard of the call for spears to guard Rhuidean. Every Warrior society was anxious for their turn to protect and guard Rhuidean, and now it looked like he would never get the chance. If he couldn't fulfill his _ji'e'toh_ by protecting the holy city, why were the Wise One's waiting so long to allow him the honor of dying? He had already accepted his fate, as had his mother and father. There had been tears shed in private, when he had told them of what he could do with _Saidin_.

He had been hunting a _capar_ when the animal had turned to charge at him. At first Jimorn had stood his ground looking the animal full in the face, not blinking. He had held his spear in both hands, ready to thrust it in the stomach of the _capar_ as soon as the animal was close enough. The hot sun was beating down; sweat dripping down his brow as he concentrated. His adrenaline was pumping through his veins, as he controlled his breathing. The _capar_ was running fast at him. Suddenly he heard a snort at his left side, and a moment of panic hit him. This _capar_ was not alone; it must have been out hunting with its mate. He turned his head a fraction to see what was beside him, and then it happened. The second _capar_ was only feet away from him, racing at Jimorn leaving little room for him to act. He threw his spear at the closest _capar_, hitting it right between the eyes. The _capar_ screamed as the spear hit and Jimorn turned back to the other _capar_ that had been further away. Except that it wasn't as far away as Jimorn had thought. The _capar_ was on top of him before he had a chance to reach for a second spear and tackled him to the ground. The sharp tusks on the _capar_ began to stab into his stomach, and Jimorn reached his arms out to push the animal off of him. Instead, a ball of fire raced from his fingertips burning the _capar_ where he stood. The animal began screaming as the flames engulfed him. The last thing he remembered, before passing out from the blood loss, was the smell of cooking meat.

He had woken up in his tent, with no recollection of how he had gotten there. All he knew was that he was ravenously hungry. Before he could sit up to eat, Sorilea and Surandha walked into the tent.

"Good, you are awake. " Sorilea had said, as she walked into the tent. "You are very lucky to be alive, thanks to Surandha."

"How?" was all he could say. His throat was so dry.

"We saw the smoke, and Surandha has been trained in the new form of healing. That is not important, though. We must speak of what you did out during your hunt."

He had completely forgotten about what had happened during his hunt, until Sorilea had brought it up. That fireball had come out of his hand. That could only mean that he could channel.

"I channeled." was all he could say. He knew what that meant. It was his _toh_ to go and spit in Sight Blinder's eye, but there was no Sight Blinder anymore. How could he possibly meet his _toh_?

"It would appear that you did. We will go to Rhuidean and speak with the Wise Ones about this. Much has changed and we must discuss what this means."

And so he sat, waiting for the Wise Ones to finish with what they were talking about, to allow him the chance to go off and die with _ji_.

"Jimorn?" a voice asked, and he looked up to see an apprentice standing at the tent's opening. "The Wise Ones will see you now."

He stood, leaving his spears at the entrance of the tent and followed the apprentice inside.

The interior of the tent was darker then the outside and it took a minute for his eyes to adjust. Once they had adjusted, he saw Sorilea, Amys, Bair, and Aviendha sitting on the floor with the brown skirts fanned out before them.

"Sit, Jimorn of the Jarra sept of the Charenn Aiel. You are welcome to my shade." Amys said formally, her eyes giving nothing away. He had never really felt nerves before, but it was hard to not feel nervous with four Wise Ones staring at him. They knew what he could do; they knew that he would be a danger to have around. He knew what he must do, why couldn't they just let him do it?

"Sorilea has been telling us about your recent discovery." Aviendha said. Jimorn tried his best to not look Aviendha in the face, lest he embarrass himself by turning red. It was hard not to stare at Aviendha, even if she was a Wise One. She was the most gorgeous woman that he had ever laid eyes on. If things had turned out differently for him, he might have found the nerve to try and catch her attention. Who knew, maybe she would have laid a bridal wreath at his feet one day.

"Yes Wise one. I can channel. I channeled a weave of fire to save my life." Jimorn made his face hard, and made himself look at their faces. He was not afraid to die; they should know that he accepted his fate. "As the law says, I should be allowed to go off into the Three Fold Land to battle and die."

"That's not exactly what the law says, Jimorn." Sorilea interjected. "The law says that a man who can channel must go and battle Sight Blinder, but we have since learned what really happens to those men we sent to the Blight- they become _Samma N'Sei. _The Aiel have great _toh_ to the _Samma N'Sei_- one that we will meet soon. That is not why we wished to speak with you, Jimorn. We cannot allow you to go off and die."

"With all due respect Wise One, it is my _toh_. I must meet my toh and keep those I care for safe."

The hair on the back of his neck tried to stand on end as he spoke the last words, and the Wise One's faces all broke out into smiles. What did they want him to do?

"You will meet your _toh_, Jimorn, but not in the way you think. No longer is the taint on _Saidin_. The _Car'a'carn_ cleansed _Saidin_, making it safe for men to channel. Our problem is that we have no one among our people that can teach you to channel. That is why we wish you to go to the Black Tower for training." Bair said

Leave the Three Fold Land? He had promised himself that he would never leave again, after helping the Car'a'carn.

"Wise One, what purpose will it serve? You wish me to become a wetlander and learn wetlander's ways?" he found it hard to disguise the disgust in his voice at the thought.

"Not become a wetlander, Jimorn, to learn to channel safely. We will need men who know how to channel safely, who can go to the Black Tower and learn and then return here to teach other men. You will not be the only one that goes, I am sure of it, but you will be the first. Go to the Black Tower and learn all that they can teach you, then come back here and teach the others that will come in time."

"The ways of the Aiel are changing, Jimorn." Sorilea added, "We cannot continue to allow men who can be an asset to the Aiel to continue to die in vain. You will be the first to make the journey of becoming a_sorencar sai n'andiane_- an Overseer of Saidin. You will be the first to come back and teach other men who can wield _Saidin_."

Jimorn's head was spinning with this new revelation. He had never dreamed that this would happen. What could he say, though? No one said no to the Wise Ones, especially when they had made up their minds.

"It will take me weeks, if not months, to walk to the Black Tower, but I will set out immediately, Wise Ones."

"That won't be entirely necessary, Jimorn. We will make a gateway near Cairhien, and from there you can walk to the Black Tower. You will need time to clear your mind, to think about your destiny, but we do not require you to walk months to your destination. A few weeks will suffice." Aviendha said, and Jimorn knew that this was it. The Wise Ones had decided how he would meet his _toh_ to his people, whether he liked their reasoning or not.

* * *

The gateway stood open on the Traveling Grounds at Tar Valon. Setalle had spent the rest of the afternoon talking with various Sisters who were curious how she had lived for so long. She had been sure when leaving for Tar Valon, that she would become Aes Sedai again- to feel the embrace of _Saidar_. After spending the day with the Aes Sedai she wasn't so sure that was what she wanted any longer.

She had known that Aes Sedai were vain and full of themselves. She was sure that she had been the same when she had been an Aes Sedai. She had watched how Joline, Edesina, and Teslyn had acted around Matrim Cauthon- how they had treated those around them. The actions of Aes Sedai had been confirmed by her treatment when she had arrived. She had been treated as a liar and a criminal; assumed guilty until she proved herself innocent. Did she really want to be a part of this life again?

She looked at the waiting gateway, which led to the Black Tower and breathed in deeply. Whether she became an Aes Sedai again or not didn't change the fact that she wanted to leave Tar Valon immediately.

She walked through the gateway and to the other side. Before her lay an extensive black wall only about three feet high. Behind the wall she could see many buildings and hear the noise of people moving about their daily chores. She was immediately greeted by an _Asha'man_, who bowed quickly.

"How can I help you, madam?" said the man who only wore a sword on his collar. That meant he wasn't a full _Asha'man_ yet, he was a soldier of some sorts.

"I need to see Damer Flinn, Soldier. If you could lead me to him, I would appreciate it."

"My name is Fiyl, and my title is Guardian now. The Lord Dragon wished us to learn the final lesson, and we have taken it to heart. Come, I will take you to _Asha'man_ Flinn."

Final lesson? What could that possibly mean? She decided to put it out of her mind and concentrate on the task at hand. She was so close to being able to channel again, but was it what she really wanted?

Guardian Fiyl led her through hard packed streets. Setalle couldn't help but marvel at what she was seeing. From all accounts she had expected shacks, the smell of unwashed bodies permeating in the air, and a look of complete chaos. This was nothing like what she had expected. There was organization, the streets were dirt- true- but they were clean. The smell of flowers filled the air from the goodwives' gardens, and she could hear the noise of hammers on anvils in the nearby blacksmith's shop. This was a prosperous town, not some hovel like she had heard.

Guardian Fiyl led her to a plain building and knocked at the door. Setalle couldn't help but watch the surrounding area. Children ran around, playing games of tag, spinning hoops, and other children's games. It all seemed so normal, so peaceful. This was not at all what she had expected the Black Tower to look like.

The door opened to reveal a weathered looking man, with small wisps of white hair sticking out everywhere. He wore the black coat complete with sword and dragon pin. "Can I help you, Guardian Fiyl?" he asked.

"This lady asked to see you, _Asha'man_ Flinn."

The old man looked Setalle up and down without any evident expression, then silently ushered her in. She walked in, trailed by Guardian Fiyl. Obviously it was standard protocol to stay with a visitor until they had proven that they meant no harm.

"What can I do for you, madam?" said the old man. Despite his creased, weathered face and white hair, his back was straight and eyes clear. No one would ever be able to assume that he was a frail old man. If they did, she had no doubt that he would quickly put them right- probably with a nasty weave of Saidin.

Without a word, she handed him the parchment from the Amyrlin. She didn't know what the proper procedure was and had no idea how this should be handled. _Asha'man_ Flinn took the paper, and silently read it. She knew what it said, as Cadsuane had written it in her presence.

_ To Whom It May Concern._

_ I request your assistance in a delicate matter. The woman who bears this note is a former_

_ Aes Sedai who burned herself out over twenty years ago. We have questioned her, and_

_ have discovered that her claims are true, and that her Stilling was not a punishment_

_ rendered for any crimes. The White Tower would be extremely grateful if you would be_

_ willing to heal this woman, restoring her ability to channel. The White Tower thanks you_

_ for your services and help in this matter._

_ The Flame of Tar Valon_

_ The Amyrlin Seat,_

_ Cadsuane Melaidhrin_

_Asha'man_ Flinn finished reading the letter, then folded it up and placed it in his coat pocket. He looked her up and down.

"I've never been one to force my Healing on anyone, not even one that comes bearing a letter from the Amyrlin. I would be happy to Heal you, my dear, but to be honest you don't exactly look like you want to be Healed. Most women that I've Healed from severing are in tears of joy, or at least look excited, but you have a look of a woman that doesn't want this."

How perceptive this old man was. He had quickly come to the heart of what was really bothering her. The idea of being able to embrace _Saidar_ again appealed to her; it was an incessant beckoning in the back of her mind that she wasn't able to touch, but becoming an Aes Sedai didn't hold as much appeal to her anymore. She had learned how to treat people, been treated horribly by those who thought themselves better than her. She couldn't go back to that life again. The Tower expected much from those who associated themselves to it. She had a family, children and hopefully grandchildren one day. If she was able to channel again she would outlive them all, watching her great-grandchildren grow old and die. How would Jasfer react when she came back, with the ability to channel and looking younger and younger as time went on? Could she really watch her love grow old and die? The man who had rescued her when she had burned herself out, nursed her back to health with a gentle hand? But the question remained what if she never found her family, what then? Her family had made her a better person, a caring person who wanted to help without the hidden motive for gain. Even if she decided that she wouldn't return to the Aes Sedai, she would still be able to channel and the possibility that she could eventually begin to think herself better than those around her was very real.

"You are very perceptive, _Asha'man_ Flinn. I have had many good years of not being able to channel and now that I've had time to recollect, I'm not certain that I want to channel again."

"It takes certain strength to admit that you are happy the way you are, that you have come to realize that you are better without than with. If you are sure that you don't want healing then I will put your name and description in my records, just in case you change your mind later. " his eyes sparkled as he said the words and Setalle knew that this was the right course of action. He had given her the option of returning, if she changed her mind. She didn't need to be an Aes Sedai or have the embrace of _Saidar_ to feel whole again. She had found something else to make her whole, and she needed to find them.

* check out another author, here on Fan Fiction. He's writing a piece based on the story I'm writing. It's good! www dot fanfiction dot net/s/9171259/1/Seven-Sisters


	22. Chapter 22: The Southern Wall

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for you valuable**_** edits!**

Chapter Twenty Two: The Southern Gate

The walls shook from the blasts coming from outside, threatening to knock the oil lamps off the walls. Every blast made Thethoc more and more angry and more afraid. He stood hovering over the large map of Seandar, pouring over it with his generals. How had she gotten here so fast?

Reports had been coming in from all over the city, with thousands already dead and many more wounded. His eyes and ears had reported that no ships were in the harbor, not even those that had been docked a few hours past. He had sent the men who had been on watch duty to be beaten for failing to see what happened to the ships and when the army had arrived. For the first time in his life, he was terrified. If an entire army could appear out of thin air like this, how could he even hope to win?

"Your Majesty, we have reports that they have taken the northern wall." Kenu said, holding the report that had been brought in by the messenger. Another blast shook the walls and this time quite a few of the glass goblets fell over, smashing into thousands of pieces of broken glass. The _da'covale_ were on top of cleaning it as soon as it happened.

"Send a squadron to hold them back. We need time to access the situation and see how best to strike. It's only a few hours until daylight and we should be able to see better then. Send twenty _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pairs with the soldiers. It should help keep them back."

Kenu was hastily writing down his instructions, and then bowed low as he left to see the orders carried out. They needed more time. The dark cloud cover was making it impossible to see anything outside of the city walls, and the fires burning inside ruined any night vision the men would have had. Another messenger came in with a report, and the _da'covale_ brought it to him. He ground his teeth in frustration. The _Sul'dam_ were complaining that the _damane_ were channeling too much and were getting exhausted. He didn't care if every _damane_ passed out from exhaustion; he needed them to drive back the invaders!

He looked at the map again, and felt his anger seethe. The enemy held the northern wall, their _to'raken_ and _raken_ had done a great job at destroying his own stables of _to'raken_ and _raken_. Half the city was in flames, but oddly only the parts that contained soldiers, _to'raken _ and _raken_, the exotics, and the wall. The populated parts of the city had been largely untouched, almost as if they were trying to spare the lives of the common people.

"Kenu!" he shouted, and the wiry man came running back into the room. Thethoc hadn't really stopped and looked at the man tonight, but as Kenu came running back in Thethoc could see large dark circles under his eyes. His hair went everywhere, and his skin was pale and drawn. Thethoc couldn't spend time worrying if his _so'jhin_ was getting sick. He had a throne to maintain. "Send troops into the populated areas. The enemy is avoiding attacking those areas, and it will give our men time to scout and plan. Send an order to the _Sul'dam_ that they are to take their _damane _to those areas as well. They can attack from within the populated areas, and should be safe from retaliation."

Kenu bowed again, and left without a word. When this was all over he would have to make sure that Kenu was properly rewarded.

* * *

Mat sat down his spy glass, not that it did any good in this darkness. All he could see was the city on fire.

"General Furoc, send in the next squadron to the southern gate. I want to push them into a corner. Also, see if our men at the northern gate need reinforcements. If I were Thethoc I would send soldiers and _damane_ to try and take the gate back."

The General slapped his fist to his heart, and kicked his horse into a gallop. Mat felt bloody useless just sitting here, but it made good tactical sense to have his men go in the city in rotations. They would be better rested when daybreak hit. A messenger came running up to Mat, a look of pride in his face. For some reason that Mat couldn't understand, the men loved serving under him.

"Banner-General Elbacu has returned with his men."

"It's about bloody time. Send him to me." The messenger bowed low and ran off to do as Mat had commanded. Elbacu had taken his time getting back, but he was here now-that was all that mattered. His campaign of soldiers was desperately needed.

Banner-General Elbacu rode up, his back straight. He had changed into a suit of armor upon his arrival. He approached Mat, and bowed in his saddle.

"Your Highness, we have returned victorious." He said, while his eyes stared at Mat's feet. It was irritating how the Seanchan would never look anyone in the eye, unless they were on an equal footing. Bloody foolish, if you asked him. How could you tell if someone was lying to you, if you couldn't see their eyes?

"So, you were successful in killing your brother?" Mat asked, and the shock on Elbacu's face was enough. Elbacu had not known that Mat knew that Cicu was his brother. Not many men would ask for the honor of killing their own brother, no matter how much of a traitor he was.

"I was, your Highness. I have brought back his head, if you wish to see proof. Forgive me, your Highness, but I had not realized that you knew he was my brother."

Mat smiled to himself. People tended to underestimate him and he liked it that way. Better to have them underestimate him, and think of him as not a threat.

"I'll send a General to fetch the head later. For now I need you to position your troops at the southern gate. We've taken the northern, and now I intend to take the southern as well."

Banner-General Elbacu bowed low in ascent, and saluted.

"It shall be as the Prince of the Ravens commands. May we take the southern gate for you, or die trying."

"Yes, well try not to die trying." Mat said wryly. "I need all the men I can get to maintain the gates and put pressure on the enemy from the inside. I intend to not leave them anywhere to go except to their deaths."

Banner- General Elbacu saluted once more and was about to depart when General Furoc came riding back to Mat.

"Your Majesty, the orders have been given." Furoc said with eyes downcast and a salute. Another man who wouldn't look him in the eyes. It made him feel as if he had a massive boil on his face that no one wanted to look at. It was bloody irritating.

"Very good." Mat said, trying to push down his irritation. "Banner-General Elbacu and his men will be with the others taking the southern gate. You are dismissed, Banner-General."

A final salute from Banner-General Elbacu came, and he rode off to gather his men.

"I want to see the head he brought back, and have a man that can positively identify Cicu for me-preferably one not from Elbacu's men- come too. Also, I need the _der'sul'dam_ to come to me. I have many questions for her about the _damane_."

He could feel the indignation coming from General Furoc, and almost felt bad for a minute-almost. The man was very good at giving orders, and seeing that they were done. It would probably be better to have a messenger deliver these messages, though, instead of Furoc. He doubted that Petra would do it, the man refused to leave his side. That meant he would have to secure a messenger now. Blood and bloody ashes, this was too much.

"After you've given those orders, see that your men are ready to send reinforcements to the northern gate. I'll need one of the messengers secured for my private use, so I trust that you'll find one that is trustworthy."

A look of-could it be- relief flooded across Furoc's face. He hadn't looked relieved at Mat having him find a trustworthy messenger; no he had looked relieved at the order of gathering his men to reinforce the northern gate! Now Mat understood Furoc's indignation. He wanted to be in the battle, to serve Tuon. At least Mat could respect that.

"I'll see it done personally, Your Majesty." General Furoc said, with a bare smile on his lips. He saluted and rode off to give the orders.

* * *

Banner-General Elbacu rode back to his campaign of men in a state of amazement. He had thought that his secret had been safe, that no one had known that Cicu was his brother. How under the Light had the Prince of the Ravens found out? No matter how he did though and that put Elbacu in a dangerous position. He had no wish to be put to the Seekers. He would be thought to know about his brother's plans, and what his intentions had been.

He rode up to where he men were waiting, and was greeted by Captain Lildoc.

"Prepare the men to go to the southern gate. We will assist in taking it."

The captain saluted and ran to give the order. Elbacu dismounted and went over to pick his weapons. He had changed into his armor upon arriving in Seandar, but one did not go to the Prince of the Ravens with weapons in tow-not unless he wanted to die a slow and painful death.

His preferred sword had suffered damage in killing of his brother. The edge had been dulled, and a small knick was in the blade. It had done its job in killing Cicu, but it needed to be repaired before he could use it again. His other weapon of choice was a Morningstar mace. The weapon was efficient at dealing death blows to the head in a matter of minutes. He liked to use the weapon with a sword, so that he could swing the mace with his left hand, and use his sword hand to finish the job. It was a brutal way to wage war, but it was effective.

He hefted the Morningstar in his left hand, feeling the weight of it. He had to be careful when using it, as it could easily catch one his men as the enemy while he swung it. The weight felt right, the end was perfectly crafted to balance the end. The spikes gleamed in the small light coming from the fires in Seandar, and he put the mace in a loop on his belt loop. Next he tried a few swords. Some were to light, and would throw him off balance with the mace. Others were too heavy, and would make it difficult to use both. Finally, after sifting through several swords, he found one that was the perfect weight and length. The pommel of the sword boasted what looked like a raven, in this darkness, and was perfectly balanced from point to pommel. The weight of the sword matched almost exactly with the mace. He quickly sheathed the sword and walked back to his horse.

When he got back to his mount, he found his entire campaign mounted and ready to go. Sharp metal gleamed in the glow from Seandar, and he smiled to himself. He had been successful in ridding the Empire of his brother, now he was off to fight another battle to rid the world of the last usurper.

"Our job is not done yet, men!" He shouted so everyone could hear. "We have successfully rid the Empire of its first threat, now we go to rid it of the next. In the name of the Empress, may she live forever, may we fight to the death for her glory!"

His last words ended in cheers from the soldiers. They knew that there was a very good possibility that they would not survive this day. Their lives didn't matter though. Only the Empire and the Empress, may she live forever, mattered. Elbacu raised his mace up high and started the signal to march forward and to the southern gate.

* * *

Varu Nardil stood facing the southern gate, palms sweating. The news was going around that this army that was attacking was from the Empress, may she live forever, herself. Rumors had been flying that the Empress, may she live forever, had a new kind of _damane_, the kind that could transport armies in the blink of an eye. The rumors also said that these _damane_ gave the other army supernatural powers, like the ability to move like ghosts in the night. He wasn't sure if any of it was true, but this army had already secured the northern gate, and were pushing inward. Whoever this army was, they were having a hard time regaining the gate, and were succeeding in destroying whatever resistance Thethoc's army gave.

The thought of the Emperor, may he live forever, sent his head reeling. He had willing joined the Emperor, may he live forever, when he had heard that the previous Empress had died, as had the rest of her family. The Empire needed order, and the Emperor, may he live forever, had tried to give that. But if it was true that the true Empress, may she live forever, was alive and back, then didn't he owe his allegiance to her? So what did that make the man who called himself Emperor? Was he a usurper? It was not up to one such as he to make the big decisions, but he had a sinking feeling that he wasn't on the right side right now.

The southern gate groaned and he heard shouts coming from the opposite side.

"Hold!" he heard his captain shout, and he unsheathed his sword. His heart was beating a thousand beats a minute, as the gate creaked louder. Suddenly a loud roar hit his ears, and the entire gate exploded inward. Varu ducked behind a wall, as shrapnel exploded. Screams hit his ears a second later, as the large, sharp pieces of wood impaled men. He looked around the corner of the wall and saw a scene straight from nightmares. A massive force of men, well over one hundred thousand strong, stood in front of where the gate had stood-in front of them stood a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. He looked around the area near the gate and stifled a scream. His entire unit, or at least most of them, lay on the ground with spikes of wood sticking out of their bodies. Groans and screams came from the men lying on the ground. Varu looked around trying to find anyone from his battalion, but he saw no one.

"Charge!" he heard a man yell the opposing army, and he heard the army start to move into the city. Varu didn't even look back to see if they were chasing him as he turned and ran into the inner city.

_Chapters are going to be coming at a bit slower pace for the next few months. I have so many ideas, and we're in the middle of closing on a house and moving. I want to do this justice and not rush the ending-which I promise you will be amazing! Thank you all for you continued support!_


	23. Chapter 23: The Informant

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you Kitkitmaria for your edits and Dean9909 for your WoT input and edits! You guys are amazing!_**

_For those guests that would like to be made aware of new chapters, but don't want to create an account on Fan Fiction, check out my Facebook page. www. facebook pages/Shylah-Sedai/428228280588051 (remove the spaces. Fanfic won't allow me to post links whole) Be sure to Like the page. You'll get updates to new chapters. And yes, I got your wonderful comment_ Johnny1774, _and approved the comment so I hope your month has been made!_

Chapter Twenty Three: The Informant

Banner-General Elbacu stood before the southern gate, his horse stamping an impatient hoof. He waited for a few more minutes, while the rest of the troops took up position. A sense of excitement ran through his veins as he waited. There was something about going into battle that made a man feel alive. The thrill of combat was in his being, and being a part of this most worthy cause-to secure the Empire for the Empress, may she live forever- was enough to make any man proud. .

"The men are in position, Banner-General." said Captian Lildoc as he rode to stand beside Elbacu.

"Give the signal to begin to the men with the battering ram." he ordered, and Captain Lildoc saluted and rode to give the orders.

Within minutes fifty men walked up, holding a massive battering ram. The head of the ram was covered in metal, and weighed over five thousand pounds. The body of the ram was made out of a massive oak tree that the men had cut down as soon as they had traveled to Seandar. The head of the ram had been fashioned in Ebou Dar, and had been pulled by a horse and cart.

"Ready, and heave!" Elbacu heard the leader of the men yell. As one they walked back to gain momentum, and ran straight into the heavy gate. The battering ram hit it with a loud _thud_ and the gate groaned.

"Again!" the leader called, and the men walked the ram backwards a few paces, and rammed the battering ram into the gate again. This time Elbacu heard wood splinter as the ram made contact.

"It will take some time, Banner-General, but we should have the gate broken within half an hour." Captain Lildoc said, coming back to his position by Elbacu.

"It will have to do. It will give the men some time to rest." Elbacu said, feeling a bit impatient.

"Again" came the shout from the leader, and another groan came from the gate as the ram slammed into it.

As the men worked, a slash of light appeared to the right of Elbacu, and a _Sul'dam _and _damane_ walked through. As the _Sul'dam_ walked closer, Elbacu could see that this was not just an ordinary _Sul'dam_, but the _der'sul'dam_. He had no idea what her name was, but he had heard of her and how she could train any unruly _damane_.

She walked up to him, and looked him in the eyes as an equal.

"I was sent by the Prince of the Ravens to speed things up. My Mela can have this gate out of the way in a heartbeat. The Prince stresses that time if of the essence."

"My thanks, _der'sul'dam._" He said, as he bowed his head a fraction in respect. That would save a tremendous amount of time and the men's strength. "Captain, have the men move back into line." He ordered, and Lildoc kicked his horse to a gallop to hurry the men back into line.

He watched as the men hastily carried the ram back into the ranks and the immediate gate area was cleared of soldiers in a few minutes.

"The men are ready, _der'sul'dam_." Elbacu said, and the _der'sul'dam _nodded.

"We will not be staying to help you fight, Banner-General. We were only ordered to help get you in the city. We are needed elsewhere after we are finished."

It had been too much to hope for that the _der'sul'dam _and _damane_ would stay to help fight. He had heard how tired the _damane_ were getting, and with daylight still two hours off they would be needed in the fights to come.

"I understand, _der'sul'dam,_ and thank you for the help you are able to offer us." He would have liked to have the _der'sul'dam_ and _damane_ with them; it would make their victory easier.

He watched as the _der'sul'dam_ and _damane_ walked in front of the gate. The _damane_ had never once looked up, or uttered a word. The _der'sul'dam_ was very good at training her charges. The _der'sul'dam_ pointed at the gate and the diminutive _damane_ looked up. Suddenly the gate exploded inward sending massive splinters of wood shooting into the city. He could hear the screams from the men on the other side of the gate. Dust was still in the air, but he had no doubt what he would see when they went forward.

The _der'sul'dam_ turned towards him and nodded a quick nod. Her job was finished and she had other duties to perform for the Empire. He nodded back in thanks as she pointed a finger and a Gateway opened up right in front of the two of them. She didn't hesitate to walk through the Gateway, the _damane_ trailing behind her. As soon as the _damane_ was clear of the gateway, it shut behind her.

Elbacu grabbed his Morningstar with his left hand and his sword with his right. His horse didn't need him to hold the reins to know where to go, he was well trained to respond to Elbacu's knees guiding him. He raised his sword up high and adjusted himself on the saddle so that his knees could guide.

"Charge!" he yelled and dug his knees into the horse's ribs. The horse took off in a gallop into the city. Behind him he could hear the men shout a nondescript war cry and run behind him.

* * *

A light drizzle began to fall, as Varu Nardil ran through the streets of Seandar. Most of the homes were shut up tight, hoping to avoid the fighting that was going on.

_"Foolish people." _He thought. If the Empress, may she live forever, and her army didn't set fire to the whole city, Thethoc would-he was sure of it. To hide under your beds, and pray that fire didn't hit your home was foolish. How would they get out?

He turned a corner too fast, and fell hard in the slick streets. Overhead, he heard the rumble of thunder as the storm grew closer. The rain started falling a bit faster; it wouldn't be long until it was a full on downpour. He picked himself off of the ground and brushed the dirt from his hands. Behind him he could hear the sounds of the army walking the streets but oddly he didn't hear any screams from men dying. Wasn't the army coming to slaughter everyone? Why weren't they going into the homes and killing the people who had so readily accepted Thethoc as Emperor?

He turned in another direction, and continued to run towards the barracks. He had to warn his fellow soldiers that the army was coming-that they had taken the Southern gate as well. There was nowhere to turn, nowhere to go from here. Any path they took would lead in their deaths- of that he was sure.

Thunder boomed closer overhead, and the drizzle turned to a steady downpour. Lightening cracked in the sky, followed by more thunder. Varu continued to run, getting lost a few times in the darkness. Dawn should be breaking within the hour, but the dark clouds would make the sun impossible to see.

Finally he made it to where he wanted to go, and froze in his tracks. The barracks were completely destroyed, small fires burned still but most of them had been doused in the rain. He groaned inwardly. Where was he to go from here? The Empress' army was patrolling the streets, looking for Thethoc's army. He had no idea if the other men had already been slain, or were hiding. He stood, staring at the burning husk of a building, as the rain poured over him. He had no idea where he would go from here.

* * *

The drizzle that had started to fall had turned to a steady downpour, and Mat silently cursed to himself. He pulled his hat down tighter to try and keep the rain out of his face, but the wind that picked up was sending drops of rain right into his face.

"If this doesn't just beat all. Blood and bloody ashes." The storm was going to get worse-he knew it. He had to get his army inside the city walls before it got worse. There was no way that Thethoc would move his army out to intercept them now. He had hoped to flush them out, by taking the northern and southern gates, but this storm would make them delay. He didn't want to wait in this weather and see what would happen next.

"Captain, gather the rest of our troops, the _Sul'dam_ and _damane, _and the exotics- the _tor'raken, raken, torm, etc_. I'm not going to wait for Thethoc to come to us any longer. We're going after him."

"Yes, your highness." The captain replied excitedly and galloped off to give the orders to move.

It had been months since Mat had heard the dice rolling in his head, almost a year in fact. But he didn't need the dice rolling in his head to tell him that he was taking a major gamble on this. Thethoc knew the city, had his men hidden and they could spring any traps they had laid. Light, he hoped his luck was still with him. It was time to toss the dice.

* * *

The carnage that lay in front of Elbacu would have made a lesser man vomit. Massive wooden spikes were impaled into men as they lay screaming and slowly dying in the rain. Elbacu had given the order for his men to kill those lying in the rain. It was a mercy, really. No man deserved to die like that-a slow and excruciating death. They had found small pockets of resistance, but nothing that hadn't been quickly and easily dealt with. It appeared that a majority of the men in this squad had died when the _damane_ had caused the gate to explode. The _damane_ had done her job very well, and had saved his men from having to deal with these soldiers.

"Captain Lildoc, break the men up into five groups. I want the houses searched. Tell the men to kill no residents, but only to look for the enemy soldiers. Some may be hiding in the houses. I'll take a group of twenty thousand and go looking for groups of resistance. I want everyone to make their way to the Palace as we search."

Captain Lildoc saluted and started shouting orders as he rode. It didn't take long for the men to be sectioned off into their groups, and Elbacu dismounted from his horse to lead his group. He couldn't be mounting and dismounting from house to house. It would take too much time.

"Men, we're taking the north route. We're checking every house, leaving the residents in peace. "

He quickly started forward, leading his men to the heart of the city. He saw the other squads take off into other directions, and could hear as doors were being kicked open and shouts starting. The drizzle made way to a harder rain that brought the thunder and lightning with it. It would help to muffle the sounds of the shouts, so that any hidden soldiers in nearby houses wouldn't hear them.

They came to a nearby alley, filled with small homes. He held up five fingers and motioned them to the nearby house. Quickly, the men broke off with about one hundred of them going to the back of the houses to make sure that no one would escape. He raised another five fingers and motioned them forward, and another one hundred men walked to the many doors-over fifty in all- and waited. Once they were all in position, he raised a fist and quickly lowered it, and they all kicked in the doors at once. Shouts and screams came from inside of the home, and steel on steel could be heard. A soldier made it out of the door of one house, only to be killed a moment later.

Elbacu took no pleasure in being right about this. It was a coward's move-hiding in the homes of the innocent people. He knew his men would try very hard to make sure that no innocent people were hurt, but he had no assurance that the enemy soldiers wouldn't take one of the citizens hostage in an attempt for his own life. There were bound to be causalities.

His men had finished with the row of houses, killing about fifty hidden soldiers, and moved onto the next section. They went on like this for quite some time, splitting the men up into groups of one hundred so they could move faster, but they were still moving at a slow pace. The constant search was beginning to wear some of the men out. He felt fortunate, though, he hadn't lost a single soldier so far.

The rain was really coming down, and mixed with the lightning and thunder, it was hard to see or hear much of anything. The men were soaked to the skin; their armor was beginning to lock in uncomfortable places. Even with the uncomfortable conditions, his men never complained.

They rounded another corner into another dark street filled with houses. A crack of lightning lit the sky, followed close by the boom of thunder. In the brief light of the lightning, Elbacu saw enemy soldiers hiding in the spaces between the houses.

"Ambush!" he tried to call to the men walking into the street, but his voice was drowned out by the peal of thunder. He quickly unsheathed his sword and hefted it in his right hand, and grabbed his Morningstar in his left. He started running towards the men in the street, not stopping to see if anyone was behind him.

The soldiers in the street stopped and turned towards the sound of his yelling, and saw the look in his eyes, even if they couldn't hear what he was saying. At that moment the enemy soldiers rushed out to meet them. The streets were packed with men, all trying to kill each other, that there was barely room to turn around.

Elbacu met the first man's blows with Apple Blossoms in the Wind which was quickly changed to Arc of the Moon. With the fast slash to the head, Elbacu quickly swung the morningstar with the other hand, and it landed with a sickening thud into the man's temple. Elbacu didn't wait to see if the man would rise; the Morningstar was a deadly weapon, meant for killing. He knew that it had bashed the man's skull in. He turned quickly around, just in time to stop another's man's attack with the Falling Leaf, which he then countered into The River Undercuts the Bank. He didn't need to use his mace with this man, the sword form cut neatly into the man's middle. The man slumped, his insect head helmet clattering to the ground as another round of thunder boomed overhead. Elbacu barely had a moment to recover as he faced another attack.

This man was very good, an even match for Elbacu. The man immediately went into Black Pebbles on Snow, and Elbacu had to jump back slightly to keep from being slashed in the ribs. The slick pavement caused his foot to slip, and he tripped backwards barely getting his sword up in time to block Courtier Taps His Fan. The man keep lashing out, one form after another, not giving Elbacu a chance to get up off of the wet pavement. Dandelion on the Wind was barely deflected by his sword. The man kept lashing out at Elbacu, and he could do nothing but try to deflect the sword attacks. The enemy was no longer using sword forms, just hammer blows on top of Elbacu, trying to weaken him. Finally, Lizard in the Thornbush was met by Elbacu's Low Wind Rising. The move made the man jump back in surprise, and it gave Elbacu the moment that he needed to move into Lightning of Three Prongs, and hop back on his feet. The two men stood, staring at each other, circling around each other trying to find the best way to strike. Elbacu hefted his Morningstar to a more comfortable position, and quickly moved into Soft Rain at Sunset- a strike that would land right in the man's face. The man acted as Elbacu knew he would, defending with Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose. It left his opponent wide open for his heavy Morningstar to swing and slam into his right rib. Even in the pouring rain, Elbacu could hear the crunch of bones as the Morningstar made contact. The man only grunted, and tried to recover, but he was to slow. Elbacu quickly moved into Kissing the Adder, his sword quickly finding the man's heart. The sword sunk in deeply, and a bubble of blood began to pour out of the man's mouth before Elbacu could remove his sword. He quickly drew his sword out, and the man dropped to the wet pavement, his dead eyes staring into nothing.

Elbacu stood panting, looking around for more men to fight, but found the street filled with dead men and his own men standing. Some of his men were wounded, other lay on the pavement dead, but they had been successful in this fight.

He sheathed his sword, and put the Morningstar in the loop on his belt. He removed his helmet to allow the rain to wash the sweat off his face and cool him.

"Gather the men." He panted, feeling exhausted. When he had been stuck on the ground, unable to gain a position to try and stand again, he was sure that he was about to die. It had only been because of the other man's mistake that Elbacu had been able to gain the foothold and kill him. Light, he hoped that this would be over soon.

"Gather the men," he repeated, "and tally our dead. We'll continue on in a moment."

The soldier who was standing nearest to him saluted and walked off wearily to do as he had commanded. The rain started to let up, and Elbacu could see the sun start to peak out of the clouds on the eastern horizon. There was still a lot of cloud cover, but dawn had broken. He could only hope that as the day continued on that they would be victorious for the Empress, may she live forever.

* * *

Mat led the rest of the forces to the Northern gate, as the rain continued to pour. He had given up all hope of being dry- he was soaked to his skin. His hat barely held its shape, being soaked as it was. His cloak that he had procured was drenched, despite being made of the finest beaver pelt that money could buy. He even had water in his boots, and he hadn't even gotten off of Pips! All in all he was in a fine mood to do some killing. He only hoped that Tuon was staying dry. Light! This was the first time that he had thought of Tuon since the whole siege had started! Once they were in the city, he would have to send a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ to check on her.

The large group of soldiers, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, and exotics and their trainers followed Mat as they made their way to the gate. The Deathwatch guards that remained with him surrounded him as an honor guard. They refused to leave his side the entire fight. Mat wasn't sure how he felt about having the massive Ogier standing as his personal guard. He had Petra riding beside him, and Petra was zealous about making sure that Mat stayed safe. Light, he felt like an infant being coddled like this!

They reached the gate and were greeted by Captain Rode. He would have never guessed that she was a woman, if she hadn't taken that insect helmet off.

"The southern gate is secured, as well as the northern, your Majesty." She said as she bowed.

"Good. I want reports from the other Generals on the status of the city, and where we stand. Do we have someplace dry that we could make plans to move on the Palace?" He really wanted to get out of the rain and near someplace warm-if only for a little while.

"Yes your Majesty. The guard house here is still standing, and has already been prepared."

"Good." He dismounted Pips and handed the reins to a soldier who ran to take the horse.

"Make sure he's brushed clean and given a warm blanket and some oats." Mat ordered. He knew that the soldier would care for Pips, but he wanted to make sure. He was rather fond of the animal after all.

"Your Majesty, before you enter I have something that I must report to you."

Just then a giant bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and was immediately followed by a loud crack of thunder. Some of the horses screamed, and were quickly calmed down by experienced hands. Mat just looked at the Captain, waiting for her to finish. He was in no mood for games.

"An enemy soldier has given himself up, and claims that he has information for us but he will only talk to you or the Empress, may she live forever. He's being held, under heavy guard, in the guard house. Do you wish to speak to him, or should I have one of the Seekers for Truth brought in to see what information they can learn?"

He may be new to the Seanchan royalty, but he knew that that meant torture. If this man had come willingly to offer up information, he should at least try to see if he could get it. If it turned out to be a trap… well he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

"No, I'll see him. Petra, you're with me." The Deathwatch Guards immediately went to follow him. Despite their size, and being in full armor, they barely made a sound. Mat turned around and almost groaned. There were over one hundred Deathwatch Guards there, and they all looked like they were ready to walk into the small guard house.

"I'll only take three Deathwatch guards with me. You can argue about it among yourselves, but you had better hurry it up because I'm getting bloody sick of standing out here in the pouring rain!"

As if to emphasize his words, a bolt of lightning filled the sky followed by an earth shaking boom of thunder. That blasted storm was right over head now, and just raining its fury upon them.

The massive Ogier looked at him, then to each other and three of them walked forward. Mat couldn't tell if they were men or women; light he couldn't tell that normally without the armor on! They looked all the same to him, unless one happened to be wearing a dress.

"Good, that's settled. Let's get this over with so I can change into some dry clothes."

He walked a brisk pace to the guard house, walking fast to get out of the rain, but not so fast he ran. He had to _try_ and look noble after all. There were two guards standing at attention to the door of the guard house. Both bowed low, at the waist, when Mat arrived, and didn't stand erect again until he pushed open the door.

The guard house was even smaller then he thought it would be, or maybe it just felt smaller since there were five armed guards standing with their swords unsheathed, watching a man who sat on a single stool. He wore no coat, only a shirt that had once been white but was now dirt stained, and a pair of filthy trousers. They looked like a soldiers cut, but it was hard to tell from all the mud caked on them.

As Mat walked into the tight room, the man looked up and immediately fell from the stool and prostrated himself on the ground.

Petra was near hovering over Mat, and the Deathwatch guards immediately blocked the path from the man to Mat- their axes hefted to strike at the man if he so much as made a move.

"My eyes are lowered forever, your Majesty. I am but a worm in the presence of such greatness." The man mumbled into the ground. Seanchan accents were hard enough to understand without adding the mumbling into the stone to it!

"Get him up, so I can see him." Mat ordered and waited as the guards picked him up and sat him back on the stool. They brought out a piece of rope and securely tied his hands behind his back, and his feet to the stool. It didn't look very comfortable, but Mat didn't care about that right now.

The man's eyes remained fastened to the ground, and Mat could see tears starting to leak from his eyes.

"Who are you and what was so important that you needed to speak to me or the Empress, may she live forever?"

"My name is Varu Nardil, your Grace, and I was a soldier in General Thethoc's army. I was there when General Thethoc proclaimed himself Emperor."

"So, you've come to try and kill me and the Empress, may she live forever." Mat stated, and the guards went to a high state of alert- suddenly pushed their swords next to the Varu's flesh, making him wince in pain.

"No, your Greatness. I realized who it must be that was trying to take by Seandar, realized that I had been wrong to give my allegiance to a man who was not in the Royal line. I have come to surrender myself to you, and await your judgment. I wish to die knowing that I was serving the true Empress, may she live forever."

These Seanchan were mad! Every last one of them! Mat shook his head in disbelief. It was ludicrous. But if what the man said was true, perhaps he would be able to lead them to where Thethoc was.

"I'll allow you to serve the Empress, may she live forever, but it will be my way- you understand?"

A look of puzzlement crossed Varu's face, but he nodded in accent.

"Good, I'm glad we have an understanding. Now tell me, do you know where Thethoc is, where he stays, and who he keeps counsel with?"

"Yes your Highness, I do. I can lead you right to him, if you wish."

Mat smiled to himself, as a loud rumble of thunder rolled in the air. For a moment there it almost sounded like it had when he had the dice rattling in his head- except he knew this time it was going his way. He would kill Thethoc, and this man would lead Mat right to him.


	24. Chapter 24: The Escape

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria for your edits and Dean9909 catching the goofy mistakes I made.**_

_I apologize for not updating this sooner. I have not forgotten or stopped writing. My husband and I are in the middle of closing on a house, and the inspections, negotiations and packing have really taken a toll on my writing time. Rest assured I am still working on this piece and will not stop until it is finished. It may take a bit longer to update the chapters, but I think the ending will be worth it. I have been working on the ending since day one, and it still gives me chills! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Be sure to Like my facebook page for updates, if you don't want to create an account on FanFiction. __ www. facebook pages/Shylah-Sedai/428228280588051 (remove the spaces. Fanfic won't allow me to post links whole)_  


Chapter 24: The Escape

A large boom shook the walls of the study, and _da'covale_ hurried to steady lamps and pots of _kaf_. It wasn't easy for the _da'covale_ to move about as the study was packed with generals, _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, messengers, and Thethoc's personal servants.

Thethoc waited as the shaking subsided and went back to studying the map of Seandar. Across the map were blue and red pieces, the red marking his men and the blue marking the enemy's. He ground his teeth in frustration at the lack of red on the board. It had been a good plan to have his men rest in the private homes, but it had gone horribly wrong. Tens of thousands of men had been slaughtered, and by all reports that he had gotten back they had not even managed to scratch a dent in the enemy's army! How had they gotten the upper hand? And now the enemy soldiers were attempting to break into the Palace gates, with gradual success. A massive brick wall surrounded the entire palace, with a massive iron wrought gate at the entrance. It inspired awe in those entering the city with its magnificent, elaborate design. The ornamental scrollwork along the front gate was made by the best iron workers in Seandar. There were massive iron spear heads along the top of the brick wall, keeping any intruders out, and yet the enemy was slowly advancing in. Another boom shook the study, even though it was in the heart of the massive Palace. He cursed silently under his breath.

"I need a map of the Palace, now!" he demanded, not even trying to keep his regal bearing. The enemy was closing in, and fast. Those booms were from his _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ trying to keep them back, but he had been warned that the _damane_ were far too exhausted to be anywhere near effective. He had over four hundred _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pairs fighting to keep the Palace gates clear and it still wasn't enough. According to the scouts, the enemy had less than two hundred _Sul'dam _and _damane _pairs_, _so what was he missing? By every account he had he should have leveled the opposition ten times over, and yet he was losing!

A _da'covale_ brought the map he wanted, and laid it out on the large table, putting corner weights on each end to keep it from rolling closed.

"General Yiaru, advise me!" he barked, and a man from the other side of the room came sauntering over. The way he walked was at complete odds with the way he looked. He was missing an eye, and his ill fitting wig hung on his head. He had gone bald at a young age, and had to resort to covering his head with a wig- this one looked like a limp animal sitting on his head. The man looked like a buffoon, but he was an important asset to Thethoc, as he had acquired a vast hoard of battle knowledge, both from personal experience and from reading.

Yiaru walked to the table, and started studying the map without saying a word. The map of the Palace was very intricate, showing every detail of the structure including several hidden staircases that led to different parts of the Palace.

"I would recommend a hidden strike placed here, here, and here, Majesty." Yiaru said, pointing to three different sets of hidden staircases. Two were on the lower level of the Palace, near the front entrance. The third was just at the top of the staircase to the second level. "We have several archers stand in there, and take as many men as we can with hidden arrows. With any luck, we should weaken them so that when they do capture the Palace, they lose more men then its worth."

"What good does that do, Yiaru?" Thethoc demanded. "I don't want them to take the Palace; I need counsel on how to keep that from happening!" The last word was more of a shout than anything else.

"Forgive me, your Majesty, but I don't see how that would be possible. Our forces have been cut to nearly a quarter of what they were, our exotics were killed in the fire, and our _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ are exhausted to the point of death. Forgive me if I offend, but it's only a matter of time until they succeed."

Only a matter of time. The words sank into Thethoc's mind like a well placed spike. Fear, cold and icy, crawled along his spine. He knew that his men would fight to the death to keep the Palace secured, but Yiaru was right. The Daughter of the Nine Moons was coming - for him.

"Your Majesty, if I may be so bold to suggest a different plan of action?" Yiaru said, with a hint of meekness in his voice. At Thethoc's nod, Yiaru continued. "We need to get you out of the Palace and to safety. My men and I will stay behind and do as much damage as we can behind hidden walls. We can try and kill this imposter, who calls herself the Daughter of the Nine Moons, for you. Once we are victorious, it will only be a matter of time before the rest of the army is defeated. They will quickly become frightened once their figure head is dead."

That had been what he had told his army that this wasn't the Daughter of the Nine Moons, but an imposter trying to take the throne from him. He had seen some of the men's eyes, when he had told them that lie, they hadn't believed it but it didn't matter if they believed- only that they did what they were ordered to do.

Another boom shook the study, this time successfully knocking over a few of the lamps from the walls. The _da'covale_ were there in an instant to put out the flames. Thethoc barely noticed it, as Kenu ran into the room. He scanned the room quickly, and finding Thethoc he practically ran over to him.

"Your Majesty, they have broken through the Palace gates and are making their way into the Palace. We must get you to safety." He said in a whisper.

Shock was quickly replaced with fear and dread.

"General Yiaru, get your men to those hidden staircases now. The enemy has broken through the Palace gates. Captain Jadai, gather what men you can spare, and six _Sul'dam _and _damane_. We're leaving the Palace."

Kenu quickly walked over to the table and studied the map of the Palace.

"Here." He said, pointing to a set of hidden stairs right below where they stood. "These lead to the servant's entrance, and will take us right to the back of the Palace and straight into the mountains. We can hide there, while your men clear this army out, your Majesty."

Kenu sounded so confident, it almost made Thethoc want to chuckle. Even if Thethoc himself was surrounded by a hundred armed men- swords drawn and looking for his blood- Kenu would expect him to get out of it alive. Not only get out of it, but kill every last man who had tried to kill him!

"It will have to do for now." Thethoc said as Captain Jadai walked over to him with twenty armed men and the six _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. It would have to do. He just hoped that General Yiaru would succeed at reclaiming the Palace soon. The Light knew how much he hated being in the mountains.

* * *

The foxhead medallion went icy cold as a fireball raced past Mat's head, and into the man right behind him, sending up a blood curdling scream from the dying man.

"You goat-faced Trolloc!" he screamed at the _damane_ who had thrown it. Not that the _damane_ could even hear him, or cared for that matter. He quickly dismounted Pips, and grabbed his _ashandarei_. He would not let this man die a slow and painful death- not if he could avoid it. All the _damane_ were busy trying to kill the enemy _damane_ and get his men into the gates. They couldn't be used to heal this man right now, and if Mat waited for them to come it would be too late.

He walked over to the man, still in flames, his screams starting to sound hoarse.

"Please, your Majesty, make this end."

"It will be alright." He said with sorrow in his voice, as he quickly lowered his _ashandarei_ onto the man's neck. The soldier's head quickly and neatly fell right off- the screams stopping suddenly. Mat felt sickened to his boots. It was one thing to kill the enemy- they had a right to die- but to kill one of his own men?

"Banner-General Elbacu!" he yelled to be heard above the roar of the channeling battle. He had to end this soon, and get this Palace taken before his entire army was finished.

He heard the armor clanking together, before he saw Banner-General Elbacu. The men had not had time to oil and clean their armor since the rains had ended the night before. The men had barely had enough time for a quick bite to eat, before day broke and they moved to surround the Palace.

"Yes, your Majesty?" Elbacu said as he bowed at the waist.

"We need to move these men into position and get in those gates. Our _damane_ are doing everything they can to kill the enemy, but it's not enough." Mat said as he fished in his shirt for the leather cord that held his fox head medallion. "This is an object that will stop the channeling from hitting you. It won't stop objects from hitting you, so if a _damane_ sends rocks flying at you they will hit you. Take this and get in that gate. Kill as many of the _Sul'dam_ as you can- the Empress, may she live forever, will want those _damane_ alive. Take no chances, though, and get this gate secured for me!"

Banner-General Elbacu's face looked reverently at the medallion, and bowed even deeper.

"I live to serve, Great One."

"Yes, well I will want this back when you're done with it." Mat said as he handed the medallion to Elbacu. The man took the cord with gentle hands, and placed it around his neck. He bowed again, and ran towards his men to give the orders.

Mat felt naked, exposed standing there without his medallion. He would have gone in there himself, but he was a Prince, after all. Tuon would not be happy if he got himself killed, when another could do the job just as well. He had heard of how the Banner-General had fought in the street, while they searched the houses. He had faith that Elbacu would get the job done.

He mounted Pips, and walked him back to where the officers were standing, overseeing the assault. It would take some time before they had the gate taken, but he felt better about their odds now that Elbacu was going in to strike.

* * *

Elbacu jogged over to where his men stood, still in awe. The Prince of the Ravens had trusted him with a rare gift, and a truly wonderful way to serve the Empress, may she live forever. The one thing that was stopping his men from getting in the gate was those _damane_, and now he had a way to stop their weaves from touching him! He had heard about this medallion that the Prince owned, but had never dreamed that he would see it-let alone be trusted to use it.

A group of about one thousand men stood off to the side, protecting the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_, as they channeled at the enemy channelers. They saw him coming towards them, and Captain Lildoc ran to meet him.

"Do you have new orders, Banner-General?" he said as he saluted.

"Yes, and a great advantage as well." He said as he fished the medallion out from under his armor. "This was loaned to me, by the Prince of the Ravens. It is his medallion that stops channeling from touching the person wearing it. I am to get inside the gates and start killing the _Sul'dam_. I'll need archers to come with me, to create a diversion."

Captian Lildoc's eyes widen with every word, and his shock was something that Elbacu shared.

"You have been highly favored and honored, Banner-General. I will personally gather the men you need and we will join in a few minutes." Captain Lildoc said as he saluted once again and walked off to gather the men needed.

Elbacu took the time to study the medallion. It looked simple enough, just a flat face of a fox with a half white and half black eye, with a sinuous line through the middle. The weight was heavy, but not so heavy that it made it uncomfortable to wear.

He had very little time to actually study the medallion, as the men were coming towards him all with their eyes alight.

"I am sure that Captain Lildoc has informed you of what our orders are. I need you men to be the distraction that I need to get into the gates. You will need to start laying a wall of arrows, directed at the _Sul'dam_. The Prince of the Ravens has instructed us to try and keep the _damane_ alive. We are to not be reckless, though. He wants this gate secured and the enemy defeated. Are you with me?"

The men nodded their heads in ascension, knowing that cheering would draw unwanted attention to them. There was only one medallion, and Elbacu couldn't guarantee that these men would walk away from this fight. They knew it as well as he did. Their lives didn't matter, only the life of the Empress, may she live forever.

"The right side of the wall is practically being ignored by the enemy. They are focusing their assault on the _damane_ in front of them. I would suggest getting you over to that side, as we'll split our forces. Half of the archers take the left side and start shooting to draw their attention away from us. The other half will go with the Banner-General and make sure that he gets inside the gate." Captain Lildoc suggested and Elbacu nodded his head in agreement.

The men quickly formed themselves into two sections, and the first group ran off to start firing from the left side. Elbacu and the rest of his men quickly started towards the far right side of the Palace wall, and waited.

"I want to wait until we see the arrows start to fly from the opposite direction. Then we move" he ordered in a near whisper.

Elbacu and several of the archers scaled the brick wall, grabbing onto whatever handholds they could reach and pulled themselves up to look over the wall and through the arrow head spikes at the top. Several of the men below helped take the weight off their arms, and supported their feet from the ground. Elbacu watched as the _damane_ continued to rain fire balls at their army and _damane_. Suddenly a hail of arrows began to fly from the far left hand side, striking true at the _Sul'dam._ The screaming began as many _Sul'dam_ were suddenly killed by an arrow to the neck, and the _damane_ were left without their _Sul'dam_ to protect them. Blasts of fire shot from several of the _damane_, still attached to living _Sul'dam_, at the archers on the left who had scaled the wall themselves. Elbacu could hear the screams of the men, as they were burned alive from the blasts, yet the arrows kept flying.

"Cover me!" he yelled, and grabbed a one of the arrow head and hefted himself over the wall, narrowly avoiding being impaled by a razor sharp arrow piece on the top.

His feet hit the bottom of the cobblestone with a thud, and the eyes of a _Sul'dam_ latched onto his. He felt the medallion grow icy cold, and froze in fear as he saw a fire ball coming towards him. Just as it was about to hit him, the fire ball completely fell apart and a look of shock and horror was on the faces of the _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ He didn't waste time for them to gather their thoughts and ran towards them, sword unsheathed. With one quick swoop he quickly cut off the head of the _Sul'dam_ as her large eyes stared at him. Her head fell in a heap to the cobblestone, and the _damane_ screamed a death curdling scream at her mistress' death. He left the _damane_ where she stood, and continued with the assassination.

He moved fluidly from _Sul'dam_ to _Sul'dam_, cutting through them like they were statues. Without _Saidar_ they seemed useless as weapons. Maybe it was the shear shock that their weaves fell away from his person that caused his job to be so easy. He had cut down over a hundred _Sul'dam_ in a matter of minutes, screams and shouts warning the other women that he was there. Some of the _Sul'dam _had discovered that it was useless to weave directly at him, and started trying to kill him themselves. Some had small knives hidden in their dresses, but they were no match for a battle hardened Banner-General.

The back of the Palace was a waste land of corpses still attached to their living _damane,_ who knelt, wailing. He moved forward, pressing onward. It was getting more dangerous, as there were flying arrows closer to the front of the gate, and more than one time he was almost struck, yet he continued on, stabbing and thrashing his sword into one _Sul'dam_ after another. He felt like he was almost in a trance, as the constantly icy medallion lay against his chest. He moved from one form to another, cutting the women down, trying not to think about who he was actually killing. If he stopped to think for one moment, it would mean his life.

Another _Sul'dam_ lunged at him, knife in her hands, and succeeded in slicing his right wrist. The wound was not deep and was not enough of a wound to distract him from his trance. He quickly thrust his sword into her heart, and removed it without thinking. He had a mission to be about. He stumbled on a corpse of a _Sul'dam_ and blinked trying to find an enemy to kill. He found none. The entire court yard was littered with dead women, killed from fire from the _damane_, struck down with arrows, or killed by his hand. He surveyed the slaughter yard, and felt sick. So many women dead. They had been the enemy, though, and he had fulfilled his mission. He let himself stop and breath for a moment, finally realizing that the fox head was no longer cold.

A cheer rose up from the outer gates, and he looked up as _Sul'dam_ came running into the courtyard and taking the bracelets off the dead _Sul'dam_ and putting them on their own wrists. The crying slowly subsided from the _damane_ as the new _Sul'dam_ comforted them. There were women with two or more _damane_ on each wrist. He was pleased that he had succeeded in keeping a majority of the _damane_ alive, for the Empress, may she live forever.

"You did well, Banner-General Elbacu" came the voice from the Prince of the Ravens. Elbacu quickly went to one knee and bowed low.

"Your Grace, I live to serve." He breathed, still trying to catch his breath.

"I'm just glad that the plan worked. You moved like a whirlwind, from _Sul'dam_ to _Sul'dam_. I've never seen anything like it."

The high praise was more than Elbacu could have expected, and he bowed his head in reverence.

"You honor me, your Greatness. I am not worthy of such high praise."

"Well, I think you are. I'll see that you are raised to some kind of high blood, if that suits you. I'm not sure how to go about it, but I'm sure that the Empress will reward you for your service these past few days. Now, will you stand up? I'm tired of looking down at the ground!"

Elbacu stood, keeping his eyes on the ground at the Prince's feet. The Prince was an odd man, not using proper etiquette, but there was something so genuine about him. And he was to be raised to the Blood? That was more than Elbacu had expected! He had only wanted to serve.

"Banner-General? I would like my medallion back now. I feel bloody naked standing here without it."

Elbacu chuckled and fished out the medallion, handing it back to the Prince. Yes, the Prince was a very odd man indeed.

* * *

From the cover of the makeshift lean-to that Furyk Karede had made for her, Fortuona Athaem Kore Paendrag sat calmly overlooking the city through a spy glass the man had offered to her. The rains that had poured so violently the night before had finally moved off, leaving an overcast sky.

She sat perfectly still, watching what she could through the looking glass, and watched as men-tiny as ants- fought to get into the Palace gates. She could see balls of fire shoot past some, but the trees obscured her view as to where they came from. Despite knowing that her men were dying from enemy channeling, her mood was light. Knotai had taken the city-and in much less time then she had anticipated. A small smile creased her lips, thinking of Knotai. She really did hope that he made it out alive-she was really growing fond of the man even if he did overstep his position most of the time.

"Is everything alright, Your Majesty?" Selucia asked, straining her eyes to see what Fortuona could have seen to make her smile.

"Everything is well. Knotai has taken the city, and is attempting to take the gate of the Palace now. It won't be much longer." She replied.

"Well, that is good news. I, personally, am soaked to the skin and ready to be away from this dreaded mountain." Darbinda said. Fortuona was pleased that her Truthspeaker was with her, but the woman complained non-stop. She hadn't ceased trying to 'suggest' that Fortuona go back to Ebou Dar, and wait for the battle to be finished. It took a great deal of patience to not lash out and put the woman in her place. She was finding it increasingly hard to be patient with her, however, and she knew that it was the hormones from giving birth. Her midwife had warned her that her hormones would take months to recover to normal, so she said nothing.

The thought of giving birth reminded her of her beautiful baby Aburek. She missed kissing his little lips, feeling his soft face. At the thought of him, her breasts began to ache, and she quickly tried to change her thoughts. She had taken the herbs to dry her up, when she had found a suitable wet-nurse, but they were not working as well as they should have. She would have to ask her midwife for some stronger herbs to hasten the process. Her breasts were uncomfortably full and painful, only adding to her agitation.

"We should go and get your ready then, your Majesty. Surely it is only a matter of time before the Prince sends for you to sit upon the Crystal Throne and delivers the traitor before you." Selucia said, obviously wanting to change the topic. Nothing got past Selucia, and she knew how much Darbinda had been irritating her.

Fortuona rubbed the rough stubble on her head, and nodded her head. It would never do to walk into the city with signs of hair growing on her scalp. Of course, Selucia already had a bowl of water, the razor, and shaving soap ready in the sack next to her. Leave it to Selucia to be prepared at a moment's notice.

Selucia rose gracefully from where she had been sitting beside Fortuona, and grabbed her sack. Behind Fortuona, she could hear Selucia taking out the instruments and laying them out.

"Melitene, would you mind having Suffa warm the water for the Empress, may she live forever?" Selucia asked. The _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ had not left her side the entire night, not even to go on watch duty. Suffa was extremely protective of Fortuona and it made Fortuona's heart swell with pride at the change in the _damane_.

"Of course." Melitene replied and a few moments later Fortuona felt a warm cloth being laid on her head. The heat felt good, with the slight chill in the air. She let herself relax under the warmth and then her scalp started to tingle as the cloth was removed and the boar hair brush was swirled on her scalp, lathering up the soap for the shaving. It was always so soothing to be shaved, listening to the razor move against her head. Selucia had a steady hand, and had never drawn blood once. The scraping sound continued, only replaced with the occasional boar brush coming back to remoisten the dried soap.

Fortuona let her mind rest, as Selucia finished up her job, then washed off the remaining soap with the warm water. She finally held up a mirror for Fortuona to examine her work. She raised her hand to run over her smooth scalp. It was amazing how a fresh shave could lift her spirits and make her feel ready to take on anything that came her way. Selucia offered her a fresh, warm towel to wash her face and hands, and she washed herself and dried with another clean towel. She was drying her hands when General Karede walked up.

He bowed formally, and did not rise until she bade him to.

"Your Excellency, one of the Death Watch Guards has spotted some movement in the trees below. Upon closer inspection he found that it was a group of soldiers and _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ I recommend that we move you to a safer place, out of their way."

"Show me where they are." She commanded and stood to follow him to where she could look with her spy glass, Selucia close at her heels. She lifted the spy glass and pointed it to where he indicated. The view from among the trees jumped closer, and she spotted one man that she knew very well. Thethoc Tarar. Behind him were about twenty guards and six _Sul'dam_ and _damane._

A thrill rose in her chest. This had to be what the omen had been about- the owl hooting and not flying away when she saw it. Great care was to be taken as the days would be full of important decisions. This was an important decision. To run, or face the man who had dared to claim her throne for himself? She turned her spy glass back to the man, looking at his rounded flesh and flush cheeks. He had obviously enjoyed life as the imposter Emperor, indulging in every delicacy but not keeping up his physical strength. That was a mistake, as one could not assume that your guards would always be around to catch every assassin.

"We stay, General Karede. I want our _damane_ to hide in the trees and take them out one by one, leaving Thethoc until the end. Have the Death Watch Guards hide in the trees and set traps for the unsuspecting group. We will finish this now." She commanded. Just then a sparrow flew out of a nearby thicket, flying high into the sky. Fortuona watched as the bird continued to fly higher then swoop down to the ground. The omen was clear- the decisions you make will have consequences that you will have to live with. She was sure what that omen meant- some of her men might die in this battle, but it was a consequence that she was ready to live with if it meant getting rid of the traitor Thethoc.


	25. Chapter 25: Mountains

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

**_Thank you Kitkitmaria for your edits and Dean9909 catching the goofy mistakes I made._**

_Alright fans, the move is finally over! I'm sorry that it's taken so long to post a chapter, but I blame the severe exhaustion from moving five people! We moved on the 15__th__ of June, only to have to pack up the things we couldn't get June 22__nd__. I am pleased to report that the new house is 99% unpacked (thanks to my OCD and the inability to leave things in boxes) and my mind is finally back on track. I'm working on chapter 26 right now, and we're almost at the end! As always be sure to check out my Facebook page for updates, if you don't want to follow me here. Just search for Shylah Sedai on Facebook!_

Chapter Twenty Five: Mountains

Mat stood waiting in the now empty courtyard. He had waited, on the advice from his generals, to enter the Imperial Palace and search for Thethoc, until the soldiers had made sure that there were no traps set. He stood waiting, his ever present ring of Deathwatch Guards and Petra surrounding him. He felt like a helpless babe, being coddled like this, but he knew that they had a right to ask this of him. This was why he had an army after all- to do the dirty work for him. Plus, he knew that Tuon would be furious with him if he put himself in needless danger.

The sky hadn't changed much from the earlier morning, still overcast and gloomy. It made it difficult to position the sun, and let him know what hour of the day it was. For once in his life he wished he had one of those clocks that rich people had. It seemed like a ridiculous indulgence, but on days like today he could see the use of them.

He walked slowly to the front entrance of the palace, and stood waiting in the main doors. Servants had been found to clean up the blood, after the army had cleared out the resistance in the front hall. There had been some men that had taken position in a set of hidden staircases. Mat counted it fortunate that not many men had been hurt in the attack. They had counted on a strike from within, and the men that had been hurt had only suffered superficial injuries. It hadn't taken the men long to find the soldiers that were hidden, and they had been captured. Mat hadn't asked to closely to find out where the Captain was taking them- he knew. The Seanchan were notoriously good at finding out what they wanted to know. After the attack in the front hall, his guards had practically begged him to remain below while they searched the palace for anymore resistance.

He looked around, gathering in the surroundings of the Imperial Palace. If the front hall was any indication, the rest of the palace had to be a world wonder. A massive chandelier hung in the center of the hall, and was strung with beads of black and white pearls. Small prisms hung by the candle holders so that they would cast rainbows across the room when the candles were alight. It stretched easily twenty feet in diameter, and was made out of solid gold. He couldn't help but wonder how many farms he could buy, in the Two Rivers, with that chandelier. Light, he probably could buy the whole village with the amount of gold that was used to make the massive thing! What must the rest of the palace be like? The floors of the hall were white granite, and had gold inlay. The plush carpets had been removed for cleaning to remove the blood shed on them during the battle. There were several ornate sitting chairs along the wall for guests to sit while they waited to be lead to the audience chamber.

By and large, the entire room made Mat feel uncomfortable. Oh, he had spent a lot of time in the palace at Ebou Dar, and visited several other palaces as well, but he had never seen something this grandiose. In Ebou Dar he rarely felt awkward if he came in from sword practice with dirt and grime. Sure the servants hustled him to the bath as soon as could be arranged, but he never felt bad about it. Here he was afraid to step foot on the floor tiles, lest he break something that couldn't be replaced. Absently, he wondered if there was a cellar in this palace- a place where he might be able to toss some dice with some soldiers. Of course he would have to wear a disguise, maybe hobble a little bit so that the men he played with didn't recognize him. The eye patch might give him away, but some dirt smudged in the right places and an old dirty uniform might make the men not recognize him. He would have to come up with a back story for his disguise. It would make the whole story more believable. He would love to go to a tavern, but he doubted he could escape his ever present baby sitters. Light, it would be nice to sit with a cup of ale, ogle the serving women, and just gamble! Of course, he wouldn't pinch the serving women- he was a married man!

His daydreams were interrupted as he noticed some figures in the corner of the hall. In the corner of the room were five _da'covale _kneeling, waiting to serve. It made his skin crawl to look at them, especially knowing that they had just been eagerly serving Thethoc. That kind of flippant loyalty didn't make sense to Mat, and he felt like he should be waiting for one of them to run over and stab him despite the fact that Banner-General Elbacu had explained to him that a _da'covale_ would never do such a thing.

As Mat stood there, trying not to touch anything that he couldn't replace, he noted that Banner-General Elbacu was walking carefully down the gold inlaid stairs, being careful not to touch the marble banister. Mat also saw that the man had found time to clean himself up, and change into a fresh suit of armor. The almost black green of the armor, matched with the insect head like helmet, made him look like a creature from a nightmare.

Banner-General Elbacu walked over to him, and bowed low at the waist.

"We have completed our search of the palace, your Majesty. We have found no trace of the traitor Thethoc Tarar. We have, however, found a man that I know personally and was with a group of soldiers in a hidden staircase. His name is General Yiaru, and I happen to know that he is a skilled General- both from battle knowledge and studies of the war manuals. I have no doubt that he knows where Thethoc Tarar is. If it pleases you, Majesty, I will send him to one of the Seekers and see what they can learn."

"I think I would like to see this man myself before we resort to such… drastic options." Mat said, still looking down at the bowing man. It made his neck hurt to look down so much at people. He would try anything that he could before subjecting a man to the fate of the Seekers. From what he had learned they were worse than the White Cloak Questioners, and that was saying something!

"As you wish, your Majesty." Elbacu said with a deeper bow. "We have him detained in the private study."

"Lead the way, Banner-General." Mat replied, hoping that this man would be able to provide him with answers-before he had to turn him over to the Seekers.

* * *

The private study was just as elaborate as Mat had imagined it would be, plush deep red carpets covered the mahogany floors and gold lamps lit the walls. There was a massive round table on one side of the room, with massive carved _s'redit_ for legs. He could see that the table was full of maps. As he walked into the room, he finally saw the man kneeling with his hands tied to his knees. It looked terribly uncomfortable, but that was least of Mat's worries.

He walked over, still surrounded by the Deathwatch Guards and Petra. Mat doubted that this man would be able to move a muscle in that position, let alone attack Mat but he said nothing. It never did any good anyway. As much as the Seanchan were all about propriety and position, they had a tendency to ignore orders when it suited them.

Mat stood over General Yiaru, and the man absolutely glared at him. It was refreshing to see a Seanchan who didn't bow and never look you in the eye, even if this man had murder written on his face.

"I assume that these guards have told you who I am?" Mat asked, staring the man right in the eyes. It was best to try and intimidate the man.

"You mean the imposter? Yes, they have told me their lies. I spit at you and your filthy lies." Yiaru said, as he spit at Mat's feet.

Well, perhaps it wasn't so refreshing to have them be quite so honest. Mat could do with some behavior that was eager to please right about now.

"I think that you have been misinformed, General. My name is Knotai, and I am the Prince of the Ravens. My wife is your Empress, may she live forever, and formerly had the title of Daughter of the Nine Moons. We have recently come from the western lands, after the Empress, may she live forever, had taken control of massive parts of the land. It is your so-called Emperor that is the imposter." He tried to muster ever bit of patience that he had as he said the words- channeling his father's patient spirit. A part of him wanted to kick the man in the teeth.

Yiaru sneered. "You admit your own lies, imposter. Your army came in the dead of night, with no signs of ships. Thus, you cannot have come from the western lands. You must be working with Cicu, the man who has been trying to steal the throne from its rightful Emperor, may he live forever."

"Banner-General, will you have someone send for a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ to join us?" Mat waited as the man bowed in acknowledgement and continued, "I will show you something that most on this side of the ocean will never know about, let alone have the privilege of seeing. While we wait for the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ to join us, I must inform you that Cicu is dead. He was killed by his own brother, Banner-General Elbacu, on my orders." He watched as Yiaru's eyes never changed, but continued to bore hate at Mat. It didn't matter much to Mat; he would have his answers even if the Seekers had to drag them out.

In less than a minute a messenger came back, with a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ following closely behind him. The _Sul'dam_ was proud looking, with her lightning bolt dress, and jet black hair pulled tightly in a bun. The _damane_ never looked up, and had her blond hair braided in a thick braid. Her grey dress hung loosely on her frame, as if she had decided to stop taking her meals.

The _Sul'dam_ walked over to Mat, and bowed low while wiggling her bracelet that was attached to the necklace at the _damane's_ neck. The _damane_ lowered herself to the floor, prostrating herself on the ground.

"How may I be of service to you, your Majesty?" The _Sul'dam_ asked, still bowing at the waist.

"I need you to have your _damane_ show this man how our army arrived here. A view of Ebou Dar should suffice. Perhaps a view from the air, so that we don't frighten the citizens that might still be awake?"

"Mila is a good _damane_ and can make these Gateways quite well." The _Sul'dam_ twitched the leash, and the _damane_ didn't move an inch, but Mat felt his foxhead grow ice cold.

Over next to the fireplace a thin line appeared, opening up to a clear view overlooking the palace in Ebou Dar. The flags of Altara, Ebou Dar, and Seanchan flew high being caught in the breeze from the ocean. Night was upon the city. Mat turned his attention from the Gateway to Yiaru, whose mouth hung wide open.

"It's impossible…" was all that Yiaru could say.

"Not impossible. This is called a Gateway. It's a way to travel instantly from one place to another. This is how the Empress, may she live forever, was able to get from Ebou Dar to Seandar in a blink of an eye."

Yiaru's eyes never left the Gateway, staring at the hole overlooking the city. Right below the hole a seagull flew, calling out to another bird. Suddenly Yiaru bowed his head low, trying to prostrate himself on the carpets, but his bindings prohibiting him from moving much.

"My eyes are lowered, your Majesty. I will apologize to the Empress, may she live forever, myself and spill my blood for her for allowing myself to be taken by the imposter Thethoc."

"I will allow the Empress, may she live forever, to decide what is done with you. She may decide that she wants you to be a _da'covale_. That will depend on how willing you are to cooperate. Tell me, where is Thethoc?"

Mat stood looking at the man, whose who demeanor had changed from defiance to defeat in the blink of an eye. From what Mat had been able to gather, it was more honorable to spill your blood as an apology, then to be made _da'covale_.

"He took a hidden passageway into the mountains, while he waited for his army to clear the palace, your Majesty."

"Stand him up." Mat ordered and after the guards had complied he looked at the man, who still had his head bowed. "Show me where." Mat said, his tone edged with anger.

He walked over to the table that was filled with maps, and immediately saw a map of the palace. The guards walked Yiaru to the table and the man raised his head enough to look at the maps.

"There is a hidden staircase on the upper right hand corner, of this study. It leads to the kitchens. There is a door that leads out of the palace, and onto a hidden path that leads out of the city. It's under guard normally, but all the guards were needed for the assault. That path leads right into the mountains."

Mat quickly moved the map of the palace to the side and searched for a full map of the city, with the mountains included. He quickly found the palace and traced approximately where the trail would lead. His heart skipped a beat as he trailed along the mountains. He wasn't sure about the layout, the terrain, or if Thethoc would take this route, but as far as he could tell the smoothest path would land Thethoc right on top of Tuon.

* * *

The branch that the guard had moved aside swept back and nicked Thethoc on his arm, breaking open the skin. A small trickle of blood began to seep through his silk shirt that was now stained with sweat. The five guards that were beside him stopped when he did and Kenu was beside him in an instant, immediately trying to patch his arm.

"Kenu, have that soldier switched when we stop." Anger seethed within at the audacity that the soldier would not watch where the branch was going, and let him get cut. This was no way to treat the Emperor.

"I'll see to it personally, your Majesty." Kenu said, as he cut away the sleeve to gain better access to the cut. The loss of a silk shirt meant nothing to Thethoc; he had many more back in his rooms. He hoped that his men had been successful in regaining the palace. He longed for a hot bath and a large meal. He looked around as Kenu set to work on his wound.

Behind him five soldiers followed three _Sul'dam _and _damane_ as the finished scouting they area. So far they hadn't seen anything which was a good sign. At least they weren't being followed.

The gash hadn't been very deep, but Kenu was acting like it was a severe cut. He had his pouch opened, and had cleaned the wound, put ointment on it, and was finally wrapping the cut. He could see the rest of his soldiers and _Sul'dam _and _damane_ up ahead, scouting the area. Suddenly the earth ahead erupted in a deafening roar, and he stumbled as the ground heaved. Before he fell to the ground, he saw the ground where the soldiers and _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ had been scouting was nothing but a massive bulk of broken earth, with body parts scattered across.

Behind him he heard one of the guards yell for the men to form up, and he saw the rest of the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ start to throw fire balls in the direction that the channeling had come from, but Thethoc just stared ahead at the decapitated head of the soldier who had allowed the branch to cut him. He had wanted the man punished, not dead.

* * *

Furyk Karede put his looking glass back in the pouch specially made for the piece. He had hoped that the attack would have caught the traitor as well, and it would have if Thethoc hadn't stopped for some reason. There was no use in berating the _Sul'dam_ for failing to kill the traitor. Their orders had been to have the earth erupt once the enemy crossed the tree line he had outlined. At least they had reduced the number of enemy _Sul'dam_ by half.

Fireballs were being shot back and forth between the enemy _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ and the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ that was carefully hidden in the thick of trees. He only had three _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ pairs, and had ordered that they travel back and forth from place to place to make it appear that there were more _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ than they actually had. He had only two sets out attacking the enemy, leaving one pair to guard the Empress, may she live forever. He had left the two Gardeners with her, as well. They would be hard to get through if the attack got that far.

He crouched down in-between a rock and tree and looked through his looking glass again. The enemy was stunned into motionlessness. Suddenly his Deathwatch guards, who were hiding behind the trees, began to rain down a line of arrows, striking at the soldiers. The men would be out of arrows soon, as they only had a dozen a piece. He watched as the hail of arrows continued to fall, leaving two soldiers dead, two _damane _dead, and two soldiers wounded.

Furyk cursed to himself. All those arrows and not one had managed to strike the traitor! The man must have the Dark One's own luck! He watched as his four men ran out, swords raised, and immediately began to hack at the remaining soldiers. He swept his eye glass looking for Thethoc, and realized that he couldn't find him. Not him, the man who must be his _so'jihn_, or the other pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ He quickly did a count of the soldiers down in the trees and only counted four enemy soldiers fighting. There had been ten before, he was sure of it! Where had Thethoc gone?

He jumped up quickly, and put his looking glass inside its pouch. He quickly unsheathed his sword and set out to find the traitor, before the traitor could find the Empress, may she live forever.

* * *

Thethoc had not run this fast in a very long time, and was barely able to keep pace with the two soldiers remaining and the single pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ It had been an ambush, he was sure of it, but it led to the question of how they had known he was in the mountains? They must have had at least a dozen _damane_ channeling at his men and yet he had miraculously been untouched. How had the enemy gotten ahead of them, without the guards seeing it? They had been scouting, watching and listening, and had seen no signs of the enemy coming from behind. What had they missed?

They kept the pace of a fast jog for what seemed like hours, to Thethoc. He was out of breath, his breathing coming out as wheezing gasps, when Kenu ordered a halt. It was not within Kenu's power to order the soldiers, but they had seen how the jog was affecting Thethoc, and agreed for a brief rest.

"Have some water, your Majesty." Kenu said, as he offered a water skin. Thethoc couldn't say anything in reply, as he was still gasping for air, but he grabbed the water skin and drank deeply. The water was cool and refreshing on his parched throat.

"Have… the men… scout… ahead." Thethoc ordered in-between gasps of air. He was finding it hard to catch his breath. It had to be the mountain air that was making it so difficult breathe. He wasn't used to the higher altitude- that was the only explanation.

"They already are. One man left to go scout ahead, and the other stayed behind to guard you, your Majesty." Kenu said.

Of course they would just take it upon themselves to go and scout, without orders. These guards liked to presume too much. He would have to take drastic action, when he was back at the palace, to make sure that every guard knew that they were to do nothing without his command. He was tired of the guards thinking that they knew better. He was the Emperor, and his word was law!

Thethoc took another long drink, and breathed deeply. The rest had been a good idea and had given him time to catch his breath. He handed the water skin back to Kenu. As he handed the water skin back, he noticed that the guard was trotting back to where they were.

The guard dropped to one knee when he reached Thethoc and waited for permission to speak. Finally, one of the men had enough honor to realize who was in charge!

"What did you see, guardsman?" Thethoc asked

"About a quarter of a mile east I spotted a camp. There were two Gardeners standing guard and one pair of _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ I could not see what they were guarding, your Majesty, but the presence of Gardeners make me think that it must be someone of importance."

Gardeners? The very word made Thethoc's anger rise. The Gardeners had retreated to their steddings when Thethoc had taken the throne. Despite numerous demands and requests for them to come and serve him, they had refused. They had even allowed the Seekers and Deathwatch guards to take refuge with them! The Gardeners had offered no explanation as to why they would not serve him, but the Seekers had been more then forthcoming. They had straight out told him that he was an imposter, and they would not serve an imposter. They would wait until the rightful heir returned to take her throne.

He had sent soldiers to try and take the men prisoner, on crimes against the Throne, but the steddings were too well defended. The _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ were useless in the stedding, and any soldiers that entered were never seen again. He had stopped sending soldiers after the fourth time.

Now, there were Gardeners standing watch, just up the hill? The guard must be right, and the only person that the Gardeners would stand guard over would be her- the one woman who stood in his way of taking Seanchan entirely. For the first time today, a smile broke out across Thethoc's face.


	26. Chapter 26: The Embrace

_I do not own the Wheel of Time, nor any of the main characters. They belong to TOR, and are the product of the genius Robert Jordan. I am simply one who was dissatisfied with the ending given in A Memory of Light, and the lack of questions answered, so I decided to answer some of the burning questions myself._

_**Thank you Kitkitmaria and Dean9909 for your edits **_

_It is bittersweet that I am nearing the end of this. I have enjoyed this work immensely, and have enjoyed all of the comments and suggestions. I am glad, however, to finally be able to share with you the ending that I have visualized since I started this. There will be 1 more chapter and an epilogue. I hope that you find the ending satisfying and that it gives greater closure on what happens to some of our favorite characters. Thank you for reading._

Chapter Twenty Six: The Embrace

"I want a full battalion of soldiers, along with every _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ we have!" Mat ordered, trying hard to push down his panic. He was not usually one that was prone to bouts of terror, but the idea that Thethoc was headed in the general vicinity of Tuon had him on edge. He had no doubts that Tuon could take care of herself, but he didn't want to leave it to chance. A thousand scenarios played out in his head, from Thethoc's soldiers slaughtering everyone in her camp, to Tuon trying to lure him into a fight- and losing. She was brave, he had no qualms about that, but she was also fearless and assumed that her title and authority would make everyone immediately bow down to her will. Come to think of it, her title and authority normally did make everyone bow down, but he had no doubt that Thethoc would not recognize her authority.

"I'll have everyone assembled at the back gates within fifteen minutes, Majesty." Captain Lildoc said, as he hurriedly bowed and ran off to gather everyone.

"Have the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ come back from the Empress' camp, to warn her?" Mat asked Banner- General Elbacu, who stood beside Mat studying the maps of the surrounding area.

"They have, your Majesty. She gave her report to me personally. The place where the Gateway had originally been opened was empty. There were little trees in the area to cover them, so I can only surmise that they left that spot to search for more covered ground."

"Blood and bloody ashes." Mat grumbled. For once, it would have been nice to have this whole excursion go easy. Why couldn't have Tuon let him know where she was camping? Then again, how would he have gotten word? They had been in the middle of recapturing the city after all. When they found her and had taken care of the traitor, that woman owed him a night in a tavern! He felt that he was due a night of drinking and gambling, after all of this!

* * *

Furyk Karede quickly ran down the small hill, where he had been hiding, to the spot where his men stood. Out of all four men, only one had sustained any injuries- a sword cut to the thigh. The ground held the dead or dying soldiers of the traitor.

"Have you seen or heard from the _Sul'dam_?" Furyk asked, while scanning the tree line for more resistance. Where had Thethoc gone?

"No, Banner- General." One of the soldiers replied with a salute.

Fear and desperation was starting to settle in. They had to find the _Sul'dam_ and head back to the Empress, may she live forever. They had to guard her in case the traitor got to her.

"We need to go find the _Sul'dam_. We'll split up. One of the pairs was up the ridge about a mile from here. The other was supposed to be further up the left. Taru, you're with me. The rest of you go search up the left side of the mountain."

The men saluted and quickly went in the direction that he had ordered. The Light send them good fortune. He needed to find the _Sul'dam_ and get back to the Empress, may she live forever, so that he could protect her.

* * *

Thethoc scrambled to see what his soldiers had seen, through the brush and bushes. He didn't have a looking glass, but what he saw told him enough of the camp. Only two Gardeners stood watch over a small tent. He lay there, motionless, watching the camp to see if there were any other signs of activity. It felt like he was laying there for hours, but the position of the sun, hidden through the clouds, had barely moved. Finally, a _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ exited the tent, opening the flap enough to reveal a few more shapes inside. He couldn't see their faces, or even if they were male or female, but presence of the Gardeners followed by the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ all but secured it in his mind. She was here!

He quietly scooted backwards, back to where his soldiers were, followed closely by Kenu.

"How many arrows do you men have?" Thethoc asked feeling excitement and nervousness crawl through his skin. He was so close to crushing the Daughter of the Nine Moon's throat, he could almost feel her neck in his hands!

"I have three left, your Majesty, and Soldier Hunas has two ." Jedril said, after taking a quick count.

Only five arrows. That would leave no room for error, and if history was any indication these men may not be able to hit the broad side of a barn. They had certainly not been able to hit the archers that were hiding in the trees, when they had made their narrow escape! He had to make this as quick as possible, and without any bloodshed on his side. If they could take out the two Gardeners and the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ than it would make the job much easier on them.

"Alright, here's what I want done." Thethoc said, "I want you two men to take out the Gardeners with your arrows. Aim for the eyes. Their armor will deflect any other shot. It's a narrow space to hit, but hopefully it will kill them. If not, it should at least leave them so badly hurt that you should be able to take them out with your swords." Surely an Ogier could be brought down like any man, no matter how huge they were?

"If you have the arrows left, aim for the _damane_. I don't care much about killing the _Sul'dam_ right now. We can take care of her once we are inside the camp. Try to kill the _damane_ with the arrows. I don't want any channeling to be detected just yet. Vithona, you and your _damane_ are to stay by my side. Once the imposter has come out of her tent, I want you to destroy the ground between the imposter and the tent. Wait for my signal to channel. There are at least two other people in the tent, and I don't want them to be able to get close to the imposter. I will take care of her myself."

"What if the men are unsuccessful in killing the _damane_?" Vithona asked, barely attempting to hide her displeasure at killing a _damane_, or her displeasure at Thethoc for ordering it done.

"Then have your _damane_ kill it!" he barked, barely remembering to keep his voice low. All this planning would be for not if they Gardeners heard him.

Vithona bowed her head in acquiescence, and said nothing further. Thethoc had noticed that she hadn't called him by his honorific. He would have to punish her when they got back to the Imperial Palace. For now he would let it go. It would not due to have her punished here, where the Gardeners would surely hear it.

"Get into positions and wait for my signal to fire." Thethoc ordered and the men bowed as they quietly slipped behind trees to get into position.

Thethoc, Kenu, and Vithona and her _damane_ all crawled towards the brush where he had just been watching the camp. The two Gardeners were still outside, but there was no sign of the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. They must be inside then. That was going to cause problems, but they couldn't wait for too much longer. He should strike now, while they were still unsuspecting.

"Kenu, I want you to wait here." Thethoc ordered. He could see that the man would start to argue, but he was Thethoc's _so'jihn_. "That's an order, Kenu. I don't want you anywhere near the fight." The soldiers were replaceable, but a fully trained _so'jihn_ was hard to find.

He raised his hand up high enough for his men to see, and quickly put it back down to avoid detection from the Gardeners. A few seconds later he heard the _ping_ of the arrows being released. Less than a heart beat later an arrow stuck out of the eye of one of the Gardeners, the other arrow sticking closer to the second Gardeners cheek. The first Gardener fell to his knees with a grunt, while the second one ripped out the arrow from his cheek.

"Attack!" the second Gardener started to yell, his voice shaking the ground with its deep notes and thunderous volume. Another arrow found the eye of the second Gardener, and he too fell to his knees with an earth shaking thud. As soon as the second Gardener's cry had been heard Thethoc expected to see the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ come out, but instead a short woman came out, with throwing knives in her hand of all things! Another arrow hit her in the shoulder, sending her reeling back, as another arrow was loosed into the tent's fabric where the girl had stood. The men had used all five arrows that they had, and now it was time to face this head on.

"Looks like you'll have to take care of the _damane_, Vithona." Thethoc said as he sauntered out to the small clearing to kill the Daughter of the Nine Moons.

* * *

"Attack!" Fortuona heard being called from outside by her Gardener Joid son of Ciil son of. It was quickly followed by an earth shaking thud, from when he must have hit the ground.

No sooner than the cry had been heard Darbinda quickly gathered her throwing knives from her sleeves and ran outside.

"Darbinda, no!" came the shout from Selucia, but it was too late. Fortuona heard the soft _ping_ of arrows being released and heard Darbinda's gasp as one struck her. Another arrow sat poking a hole by the tent flap.

It all took less than a heartbeat, and she could hear talking coming from around the tent.

"Looks like you'll have to take care of the _damane_, Vithona."

She would recognize that voice anywhere- it was Thethoc.

"Melitene, Thethoc is here and is going to try and have Suffa killed. I want you to be at my side, ready to strike at any moment. Selucia, cover me." She would have preferred to try and travel out of the area, but if that other _damane_ could read residue, they could and would follow her. It was better to try and end this now.

Selucia didn't say anything, but walked to the front of the tent, opening it and walking out in front of Fortuona. When no more arrows came flying out at them, she knew that they must either be out or waiting for an ambush.

She walked out of the tent, the grey sky giving little in the way of sun and she saw him. An intimidating man, his wide girth straining his sodden shirt, his small black eyes tried to bore holes in here, but she would not be intimidated. She was the Empress; the Empire of Seanchan was her by right. This man was a traitor to the Throne and she would see that he pay for his crimes.

"Have you finally come to surrender, Thethoc?" Selucia asked. Fortuona would not lower her eyes by speaking to this _da'tsang_.

Thethoc tilted his head back and laughed a raucous laugh.

"Me? Surrender to you? Look around you. You are surrounded and outnumbered."

Fortuona let her eyes carefully scan the area, and noticed two men walking up, swords drawn. They were making their way to where the two Gardeners were. She could hear their breathing, though it sounded pained. Her heart went out to the two Ogier, but they had sworn their lives to protect her. They would do what they could.

The two men were now next to the two Gardeners, their swords raised to chop off their heads, and in that split second she felt the channeling coming from the enemy.

The earth heaved, breaking open into a large chasm, sending the tent behind her falling into the rocks below. She stumbled to the ground, clawing away from the rent in the ground. She barely noticed the two Gardeners swing their mighty arms, throwing the enemy soldiers to their deaths in the crack- the Gardeners following after the soldiers to their deaths. Selucia grabbed her hand, and pulled her away. She looked up and saw that the shaking had thrown Thethoc and his _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ to the ground as well. The _Sul'dam_ had not countered for the break being open on a mountain. Solid ground might have absorbed the shock for them, but rocks would not.

She got back on her feet and saw that Darbinda was falling into the chasm.

"Selucia, get Darbinda!" she ordered, and Selucia ran to obey.

Thethoc was still having a hard time getting on his feet and was shouting at the _Sul'dam._

"I told you to wait for my signal!" he was yelling at the woman, who was still trying to get back on her feet.

"Melitene, strike now while they are down." Fortuona ordered her voice low and soft.

A bolt of lightning came crashing down from the clouds, nearly hitting the enemy _damane._ The enemy was able to roll to the side before the bolt hit them, but not able to stop the rain of debris from flying everywhere. She could hear Thethoc cursing as he rolled to his stomach to stop the hail of rock from damaging his face and vital organs. There was a large ball of smoke that surrounded Thethoc and his _Sul'dam_ and _damane._ She waited for the smoke to clear, so that she could plan her next attack when a ball of fire came hurling towards Melitene and Suffa.

The fire ball missed both of the women, but not before it knocked Melitene off balance, and she screamed as she started to fall into the ravine.

"Mistress!" Suffa screamed, as she tried to drag Melitene back up the ravine with her hands. Fortuona wasted no time in running over to where Melitene was clinging, barely, to a small niche in the rock. Below her was nothing but jagged rocks and dirt. The chasm was so deep that Fortuona couldn't see the bottom of it.

"Take the bracelet, your Majesty! Take the bracelet and save yourselves!"

It took a second for Fortuona to recognize what Melitene was asking her to do, but it finally sunk in. Melitene knew that there was no way that they could safely get her back up to the ledge, and save all their lives. Time was of the essence, and soon the enemy _Sul'dam_ would be able to strike at them once more. The fact that they hadn't yet meant that either the _Sul'dam_ or the _damane_ had taken some injuries from the flying rock.

"I will not forget your service to the Empire, Melitene. I will have it recorded in the books that you died in service to your Empress, and your name will be sung in the songs as a hero."

Tears were streaming down Melitene's face, as Fortuona quickly found the hidden clasp of the bracelet that was attached to the collar around Suffa's neck. She quickly undid the clasp and put the bracelet on her right wrist.

"Thank you, Great Empress. May you live forever." With that final word, Melitene let go of the ledge.

"No!" Suffa cried, and Fortuona felt the immense grief through the _a'dam_. Suffa had loved her _Sul'dam_ greatly.

"Come, we have work to be about. We will grieve for our dead when this is over." She sent soothing sensations across the _a'dam_ to Suffa, who knew the truth in Fortuona's words. They straightened up and turned back to where Thethoc and the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ stood. Blood was pouring from the _damane's_ face, and one of her eyes was swollen shut. The _Sul'dam_ didn't look like she had a scratch on her. Thethoc was covered in dirt and mud from the ground. She allowed Suffato embrace _Saidar_, feeling the comfort and warmth radiate from the _a'dam_. It made Fortuona feel complete, like she was finally able to breathe after taking nothing but shallow breaths.

"She stands ready, Empress." Suffa said, under her breath, but Fortuona didn't need Suffa to tell her what she already knew. She had been working with the _a'dam_ for so long that she could tell when a _damane_ was embracing _Saidar_. If she looked hard enough, she could almost see a glow around the _damane_. It took a great deal of work to see that glow. Working with the _damane_ and learning the way that _Saidar_ worked helped the _Sul'dam_ become attune.

Through the _a'dam_ she willed a fire ball to form and Suffa shot a blast of pure hot fire at the enemy_ Sul'dam_ and her _damane_. At the same instance, a ball of fire was shot from the enemy, and was hurtling towards Fortuona.

"No!" Suffa screamed as she ran in front of Fortuona, causing the fire blast to hit Suffa in the right shoulder. A wave of pain hit Fortuona like a hammer on anvil. At first she thought it was the pain that Suffa was feeling, but when she looked down she noticed that her right hand had been completely burned- the skin charred to black. Suffa lay on the ground motionless, but through the _a'dam_ Fortuona could sense that she still lived- barely. She wouldn't live for long unless another of the _damane_ that could heal came to them.

She quickly took of the bracelet and let it drop to the ground, letting the pain that was coming from Suffa disappear. Her hand was in agony, but she steeled her face to calm. She looked over to where Thethoc still stood his face in shock. Beside him the _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ lay burned to cinders. Suffa had managed to kill the _damane_ and her _Sul'dam_ before putting herself in front of Fortuona.

_"Morn for the dead when this is over and the traitor is dead."_ Fortuona reminded herself.

At the side of her vision she saw Selucia come running up, leaving a bandaged Darbinda on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, your Majesty." Selucia began to say, then began to mumble how she had lost her pack when the tent had been swallowed.

"I ordered you to attend Darbinda. There is nothing to apologize for." Fortuona said quietly.  
Selucia tore a strip from her dress and carefully wrapped Fortuona's burned hand. Fortuona had to grit her teeth, as the agony ripped through her. She had little doubt that a _damane_ could heal her hand to full working order, but there was no _damane_ around her. She had sent two of her _Sul'dam_ and _damane_ with Furyk Karede, and they had not made their way back to her yet.

Selucia had finished binding up her hand, and she was able to breathe a bit easier. The air was cut off from the fresh wound, making the throbbing less noticeable. The two women turned their attention to Thethoc, who was leering at them now.

"I'll take care of this." Selucia said, and Fortuona could only agree. With her dominant hand like this; she would be hard pressed to fight off Thethoc. Her balance was compromised with the pain and she had used her right hand to steady her when she did her kicks.

Selucia walked up to Thethoc with a snarl, and immediately drew a knife from under her sleeve. She went into a striker's pose, legs bent and both arms out ready to strike out at a moment's notice. Thethoc chuckled, and Selucia struck.

In a whirlwind of movement, Selucia immediately began to thrash out, attempting to kick out Thethoc's legs, and slice at him with the knife. Selucia was well trained in the art of hand to hand combat, but so was Thethoc. Every move that Selucia did was easily countered by Thethoc. She would kick, and he would dodge out of the way. She would slash, and he would move out of the way. They continued to rain blows, each trying to kick and hit one another as they moved around the small area. Then, in one fluid movement, Selucia jumped into the air, her legs extended to kick Thethoc in the face, and Thethoc dropped to the ground extending his own legs. As Selucia came back down to the ground, Thethoc's extended legs met hers and she fell backwards on to the ground with a sickening thud, as her skull met a rock. There was no sound from Selucia, no blood, but Fortuona knew that if she didn't receive healing soon, Selucia would die.

Thethoc sneered as he stood, spitting at the ground by Selucia's feet. He brushed off the dirt from his clothes, ran his fingers over his bald head and looked her dead in the eye. There was a look of triumph in his face; he knew how badly hurt she was. He started to walk closer to her, his eyes never leaving her face.

She stared back into his beady black eyes, refusing to let him see her be cowed. Her hand throbbed, taking every bit of effort to concentrate on her situation. Knotai didn't know where she was; she had left the area where they had opened up the Gateway. Furyk Karede had left to go stop Thethoc, on her orders, and hadn't come back yet. She could only assume that he was dead, as were the other two _Sul'dam_ and _damane_. She was on her own, and she had no idea if she would be able to fight off Thethoc. She had to try, if only so Aburek could assume the throne.

Another wave of pain raced through her hand and she forced herself to seek the emptiness. She forced all of the pain, the sorrow, and the fear to the center of the emptiness, and let the darkness consume them. Normally it helped her focus, helped her regain composure. As she sought the emptiness, there was warmth behind it. Like an embrace, the warmth from a kiss, or the warmth of the sun on her face. She went to it, never having felt it before. It drew her, like a moth to the flame. The warmth was so welcoming, so inviting.

She still could see Thethoc walking towards her, taking his time getting to her. He knew that she would be an easy kill, and he wanted to enjoy himself. A part of her wanted to panic, but the warmth consumed everything. Fear, pain, anger, all of it was being consumed by the warmth. In her mind's eye, she let herself be consumed by the warmth, letting it fill her completely. She embraced the warmth, letting it take over everything. Life and joy met her, and she felt more complete then she ever had before. Thethoc continued to move forward, just a step away. He reached for a knife that he held in his sleeve. Absently she wondered why he hadn't used the knife on Selucia. The thought was barely there, as the warmth continued to radiate from her. She felt like she could move a mountain; make the seas obey her commands, even kill Thethoc.

He raised his hand, the knife glinting from the small bits of light that were let in through the clouds. Fortuona raised her left hand to fight him off, but instead a thick bar of pure white light shot out from her palm. She watched as Thethoc went from standing in front of her, to completely disappearing right before her eyes.

Shock replaced the warmth. As soon as the warmth had come, it was gone in an instant and she knew. Knotai had been right. She could channel. It wasn't an issue of choosing to not channel, she could channel. Feeling that warmth, she was sure that she couldn't choose to stay away from it. She was a _damane_. There was nothing to be done now. She had done what she had told Knotai that she couldn't and wouldn't do. She was no better the Suffa.

She peered at Suffa, and noticed that the woman was no longer breathing. She had sustained far greater injuries then Fortuona had guessed, but it made it easier.

She would do the right thing now. She was an abomination, and no longer fit to rule Seanchan. She was only grateful that she had bore Aburek when she had, as it now left Seanchan with a ruler. Knotai would help Aburek rule, and together they would rebuild Seanchan. There was nothing left to do. She would not dishonor Knotai or Aburek by pretending that she hadn't done what she shouldn't have done. She would bear her disgrace and further the Empire the best she could, as a _damane._

As tears streamed down her face, she quickly took off the collar on the now-dead Suffa. Before she could change her mind, she quickly put the collar on her own neck and clicked it closed. There was nothing to be done now except to wait for Knotai to find her. A sob racked through her, as she slumped to the ground and wept.


End file.
